Secure Training Order (Hansard, 24 July 1997)

§ Lord Elton
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answer given by Lord Williams of Mostyn on 3 July 1997 (WA 45–6), what consultations took place between the Home Office 176WA and other departments, including in particular the Department of Health, before the Government decided on "introducing the secure training order provided in the Criminal Justice Act 1994 and taking forward plans to secure four other centres to provide facilities (for juveniles sentenced under those provisions) across England and Wales".

§ Lord Williams of Mostyn
My right honourable friend wrote to members of the Home and Social Affairs Committee, which includes my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health, on 18 June, seeking their approval to his proposals to implement the secure training order, and to continue with the contract for Cookham Wood and with plans for four other centres.

§ Lord Elton
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answer given by Lord Williams of Mostyn on 3 July 1997 (WA 45–6), why their contractual obligations with regard to Cookham Wood and their consequent decision to implement the provisions for the secure training orders (STOs) in the Public Order Act 1994 make it necessary for them to take forward "plans to procure four other centres to provide facilities across England and Wales"; whether those facilities will also be employed to house juvenile offenders aged 12 or over and subject to STOs; what is the budgeted cost of that procurement; and whether the expenditure thus undertaken could not be more effectively used in providing additional secure accommodation under local authority control for offenders of that age.

§ Lord Williams of Mostyn
The signed contract for Cookham Wood was a legacy from the previous government. We decided to continue with the contract to avoid the waste of public money that would be involved in withdrawing from it and because the contract provides an early opportunity of ensuring that the courts have the appropriate powers to deal with persistent young offenders aged 12–14 years. Fast track punishment for persistent young offenders is one of our key priorities.
The provision of 40 places at Cookham Wood alone would be insufficient to meet national demand, and would concentrate resources in one part of the country. This would inevitably mean some children serving the custodial part of their sentence some considerable distance from their families. The five planned secure training centres will fulfil the need for more secure accommodation across the country for these offenders. The centres will provide positive regimes with high standards of education and training.
My right honourable friend has commissioned a review of the secure accommodation currently available for young offenders. Our decision to proceed with the procurement of four further secure centres will not preclude the implementation of any changes which we decide are necessary in the light of this review and we will ensure that plans for the four further secure centres are sufficiently flexible to be consistent with this.
177WA
The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 provides that secure training orders can only be served in secure training centres (STCs). I am satisfied that these will offer good value for money. It would be inappropriate to publish the budgeted cost of the STCs while there are contracts yet to be awarded.

§ Lord Elton
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answer given by Lord Williams of Mostyn on 3 July 1997 (WA 45–6), whether they have yet located suitable sites for the four further secure training centres referred to in that Answer; if so, where they are; if not, by what criteria they have defined the areas within which the search for them is to take place; and when they expect them to be fully operative.

§ Lord Williams of Mostyn
Suitable sites for the development of the three centres have been found at Gringley in Nottinghamshire, Onley in Northamptonshire and Medomsley in County Durham. A site is also being sought in the South West of England. All the centres are expected to be operational by the end of 1999.