HC Deb 03 June 1997 vol 295 cc128-9W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the Government expenditure on the youth court system in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [1576]

Mr. Hoon

I have figures for the magistrates courts system of which the youth court is a part. No separate expenditure figures are published for the youth court alone. However the following estimates are based on total revenue expenditure on magistrates courts apportioned to youth court work in proportion to the total of youth court work to aggregate magistrates court work for each year, measured by the weighted caseload system.

  • 1992–93: £16 million
  • 1993–94: £15 million
  • 1994–95: £18 million
  • 1995–96: £21 million
  • 1996–97: £24 million.

Over these five years the number of defendants dealt with by the youth court has doubled.