§ Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take to relieve the overcrowding in the junior detention centres.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsI have decided that the remission which may be earned by boys aged 14–16 subject to detention centre orders should be increased from one third to one half of the period of the order. This will require an amendment to the detention centre rules, and I shall be laying the necessary statutory instrument before the recess. The effect of this will be that most boys in junior detention centres will be released after 6½ weeks instead of 8½ weeks.
Although the primary purpose of this change is to relieve overcrowding in junior centres, a reduction of the time spent in Prison Department custody by offenders in this age group conforms to our general policy.