Young Offenders (Hansard, 25 January 1991)

§ Mr. Bermingham
To ask the Secretary of State for Health for the latest date available how many juveniles are in the care of local authorities in England and Wales following a conviction for a criminal offence; and what were the offences.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
At 31 March 1989, 2,100 juveniles were in the care of local authorities in England under section 1(2)f or section 7(7) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 following a conviction for a criminal offence. Figures for 1989 are provisional. No information is available centrally about the nature of these offences. The Children Act 1989 will end the power of a court to make a care order as a result of a criminal offence; this power has, in any case, been exercised less and less by courts in recent years.
The information for Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

§ Mr. Bermingham
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many secure units and places therein for juveniles are currently available in England and Wales; and what is the geographical location and the occupancy rate.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
On 31 December 1990 there were 34 local authority secure units available in England, providing a total of 288 places. Their geographical location is given in the table.
The latest information about occupancy rates is given in the publication "Children Accommodated in Secure Units During the Year Ending 31 March 1989—England", a copy of which is available in the Library.
The information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

England

Local authority Number of secure places on 31 December 1990

Avon 20

Berkshire 4

Birmingham 4

Cambridgeshire 6

Cheshire 6

Coventry 8

Derbyshire 7

Devon 12

Durham 50

East Sussex 5

Greenwich 3

Hammersmith 16

Hampshire 11

Hertfordshire 2

Hillingdon 9

Lancashire 38

Leeds 27

Lincolnshire 4

Liverpool 17

Newham 6

Northumberland 5

Oxfordshire 3

Rotherham 4

Salford 7

354W

Local authority Number of secure places on 31 December 1990

Southwark 8

West Sussex 6

England
Local authority	Number of secure places on 31 December 1990
Avon	20
Berkshire	4
Birmingham	4
Cambridgeshire	6
Cheshire	6
Coventry	8
Derbyshire	7
Devon	12
Durham	50
East Sussex	5
Greenwich	3
Hammersmith	16
Hampshire	11
Hertfordshire	2
Hillingdon	9
Lancashire	38
Leeds	27
Lincolnshire	4
Liverpool	17
Newham	6
Northumberland	5
Oxfordshire	3
Rotherham	4
Salford	7

Local authority	Number of secure places on 31 December 1990
Southwark	8
West Sussex	6