HC Deb 15 April 1993 vol 222 cc719-21W
18. Mr. Thurnham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about measures to reduce juvenile crime.

Mr. Jack

I have received a number of representations from hon. Members and others concerned about offences committed by juveniles. The statement made by my right hon. and learned Friend on 2 March gave a clear indication of the nature of the Government's response by committing it to the development of a new policy particularly aimed at dealing with the persistent juvenile offender.

Mr. Mike O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders have been held in cells without window glass at Glen Parva young offenders centre in the last six months; and for what periods of time they were being held in those cells.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Mr. D. Lewis to Mr. Mike O'Brien, dated 14 April 1993I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the numbers of young offenders held in cells without window glass at Glen Parva Young Offenders Institution. There are no statistics available to show how many young offenders are located in cells without window glass or for how long they are held in those cells. Most cell windows are broken by prisoners arid on many occasions by those due to attend court and who hope they will not be returning. If the prisoner responsible for the damage to the cell is returned to Glen Parva he will be normally located in the same cell until repairs can be done. However, it is local policy to avoid placing young offenders newly allocated to Glen Parva in cells with broken window panes. There is a continuous replacement programme for broken windows and the cost in the last financial year was over £14,000.

Mr. Jim Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning his proposals to provide secure accommodation for young offenders.

Mr. Jack

As I stated in my reply to a question from the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) on 17 March 1993,Official Report, column 248, before my right hon. and learned Friend made his statement on 2 March Ministers and officials considered representations and views about the problem of persistent juvenile offenders from a wide range of individuals and organisations. Since 2 March, meetings have been held at official and ministerial levels with representatives from the public, private and voluntary sectors. A series of further meetings is planned. In addition, my right hon. and learned Friend has specifically invited the comments of more than 40 organisations in the field of working with juvenile offenders including the views of both sentences and also potential providers of secure accommodation.

28. Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to deal with young offenders.

Mr. Jack

I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer given earlier today to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner).

29. Mr. Gill

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for increasing the provision of secure accommodation.

Mr. Jack

The provision of secure accommodation for juveniles is the responsibility of local authorities who are overseen in this regard by the Department of Health. We are currently working on plans for the provision of the secure accommodation that will be necessary for persistent juvenile offenders subject to the secure training orders referred to by my right hon. and learned Friend in his statement on 2 March.

25. Mr. Thomason

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to make parents more accountable for the behaviour of their children.

Mr. Jack

The Criminal Justice Act 1991, which came into force on 1 October last year, strengthened the powers of the courts to make parents more accountable. Courts can now bind over the parents of juvenile offenders to look after their children properly where they are satisfied that this would help prevent further offending; and, order parents to attend court with their children and to pay their children's fines. We are monitoring the effects of these provisions.