HL Deb 17 July 1997 vol 581 cc131-2WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Answers given by Lord Williams of Mostyn on 18 June 1997 (WA 117), whether (a) the secure juvenile unit for the detention of child offenders in the Isle of Man is an annex to the main prison, designed also to house adult offenders and (b) they consider it satisfactory that child prisoners are being detained in the Isle of Man in close proximity to an adult prison.

Lord Williams of Mostyn

The provision of prison accommodation in the Isle of Man is a matter for the Manx authorities. I understand that the secure juvenile unit is on the same site as the Isle of Man prison but is a separate institution. As there is no communication between the two institutions, the Manx authorities consider that there is no objection to young detainees being placed in the secure unit.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Answers given by Lord Williams of Mostyn on 18 June 1997 (WA 117), whether international responsibility for compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in the provision of prison accommodation in the Isle of Man rests with the United Kingdom.

Lord Williams of Mostyn

Her Majesty's Government are responsible for the Isle of Man's compliance with international obligations under international conventions into which the United Kingdom has entered on its behalf, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Answers given by the Lord Williams of Mostyn on 18 June 1997 (WA 117), whether they consider the fact that, in the Isle of Man, a child over the age of 10 can be remanded in custody or sentenced to a term of custody, is compatible with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as interpreted by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Lord Williams of Mostyn

Her Majesty's Government do not consider that the law of the Isle of Man, which provides that a child or young person may not be detained in custody unless the court is of the opinion that the circumstances are so exceptional that it would be inappropriate to deal with him by any other method, contravenes the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.