§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his oral statement of 2 March,Official Report, column 139, (1) if he will outline the regime that will be applied within the secure units;
(2) what estimate he has made of the weekly cost of a place in one of his proposed secure units; and who will meet that cost.
§ Mr. JackAs my right hon. and learned Friend indicated in his statement on 2 March,Official Report, columns 139–42, we are now working up detailed plans for the introduction of a new secure training order for persistent juvenile offenders between the ages of 12 and 15. It was intended that this statement should provide a basis for future detailed discussion and consultation with a wide range of interested parties. This process has begun, but it 685W would be premature at this stage to attempt to describe in detail the regime which will be provided for persons made subject to secure training orders; it is also too early either to estimate or to apportion the weekly cost of a placement made for this purpose.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his statement to the House on 2 March,Official Report, column 139, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of existing secure facilities for young people.
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 10 March 1993]: The Government have concluded that existing court powers to make use of secure facilities have not proved to be effective in respect of a small group of persistent juvenile offenders. The recently announced decision to introduce a new secure training order reflects that view. The new secure places will build on what has proved most effective among existing and past facilities.