HC Deb 07 November 1988 vol 140 c17W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to abolish the use of custody for 14 to 17-year-olds in England and Wales.

Mr. John Patten

No.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to extend to adult offenders the criteria which must be satisfied before a court may pass a custodial sentence on a person under 21 years of age in England and Wales.

Mr. John Patten

No; but the Green Paper, "Punishment, Custody and the Community" (Cm. 424) published in July, invites comments on the future use of custody and the desirability of defining in legislation the circumstances in which the proposed supervision and restriction order might be used.