HC Deb 04 July 1985 vol 82 cc228-9W
20. Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the effectiveness of the short, sharp shock treatment on young offenders.

Mr. Mellor

The aim of the new detention centre regime is to be brisk, purposeful and properly geared to the short sentences involved, without either softness or brutality. I believe that this objective is being achieved.

Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what were the numbers of young people aged (a) 10 to 14 years, (b) 14 to 17 years and (c) 17 to 21 years, respectively, sentenced or apprehended for indictable offences in Wales in the last year for which figures are available; and how these figures compare with those for 1980, 1975 and 1970, respectively;

(2) if he will give, for each county in England, the numbers of young people aged (a) 10 to 14 years, (b) 14 to 17 years and (c) 17 to 21 years, respectively, sentenced or apprehended for indictable offences in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will compare those figures with those for 1980, 1975 and 1970 respectively;

(3) if he will give, for each county in Wales, the numbers of young people aged (a) 10 to 14 years, (b) 14 to 17 years and (c) 17 to 21 years, respectively, sentenced or apprehended for indictable offences in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will compare those figures with those for 1980, 1975 and 1970, respectively;

(4). what were the numbers of young people aged (a) 10 to 14 years, (b) 14 to 17 years and (c) 17 to 21 years, respectively, sentenced or apprehended for indictable offences in England in the last year for which figures are available; and how these figures compare with those for 1980, 1975 and 1970, respectively.

Mr. Mellor

The readily available information is published, for the latest year for which figures are available, in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables, 1983", vol 3, in tables S3.3(B) — (D) for magistrates' courts and tables S3.5(b) — (D) for the Crown court; and in the corresponding supplementary tables for 1980 and supplementary statistics for 1970. Less detailed information is available for 1975 and is given in tables X and XII of the Command Paper for that year (Cmnd 6566).