§ Mr. Kennedyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the current operation of unruly certificates procedure for the detaining of children in prison; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. AncramChildren remanded or committed for trial in custody are normally located in accommodation provided by local authorities. Children over 14 will only be remanded to a penal establishment where a court has certified that they are unruly or depraved. The remand of children in penal establishments occurs only exceptionally. There were 130 such "unruly" certificates issued in 1984 (a reduction of 10 per cent. from the figure for 1983).
Improved procedures for consultation aimed at minimising the use of "unruly" certificates were introduced in 1984 and I am not aware of any problems. It is a requirement of prison rules that remand inmates are, so far as possible kept apart from convicted inmates. Children remanded in a penal establishment are so far as possible kept apart form other inmates on remand.
§ Mr. Kennedyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail the average length of time children were held in prison on unruly certificates in each of the years 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984; and what were the maximum and minimum lengths of stay in prison on unruly certificates in these same years.
§ Mr. AncramThe information requested is as follows:
Average stay (days) Minimum stay (days) Maximum stay (days 1983 26 1 108 1984 30 1 163 The figures for years prior to 1983 are not available in the form requested.