§ 18. Mr. Baldryasked the Secretary of State for Home Department if he will make a statement on the limitation Her Majesty's Government are taking in replacements for custody for juveniles.
§ Mr. John PattenWhilst custody must remain available for the most serious offenders, it is the Government's policy to encourage more use of non-custodial measures for offenders under 21. There has been a positive response to this approach with juvenile offenders under 17, and the Government are considering how the use of such measures might be developed for 17 to 20-year-olds.
§ 53. Mrs. Virginia Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to raise the age at which boys are liable to penal custody to that currently applying to girls; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenThe Government propose to replace detention centre orders and youth custody sentences with a unified custodial sentence for young offenders. The Criminal Justice Bill has been amended to include the necessary provisions. The new sentence will be available for boys aged 14 and girls aged 15.