§ Mr. Tom Benyonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made by his Department to encourage the development of intermediate treatment.
§ 69. Mr. Alan Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on intermediate treatment for young persons who have either broken the law or are at risk of doing so.
§ Mr. NewtonThe Government are committed to widening the range of options available to the courts in dealing with juvenile crime, and in particular to increasing community-based provision which is intermediate between custody or residential care and simple supervision of a young offender living at home.
Progress has been encouraging. Local authority expenditure on intermediate treatment schemes has nearly doubled from £6 million in 1980–81 to an estimated £11.8 million in 1982–83. The Department's grants to voluntary organisations for similar purposes will this year reach nearly £1 million.
To give further impetus to these developments, my right hon. Friend announced on 26 January 1983 a £15 million programme over the next three years, starting with £3 million in 1983–84, to fund schemes by new voluntary bodies sponsored by local authority social services departments. Details of the proposed arrangements are contained in a circular—LAC(83)3—of which I have placed a copy in the Library.
The schemes we have in mind will be intensive programmes of a positive nature, requiring the regular day-long attendance of youngsters for a full three months, and involving elements of education, craft skill training or other vocational activities, and learning social skills. The first £3 million, if it is fully taken up, should provide up to 1,500 youngsters with a place on such a programme as a direct alternative to a custodial sentence.