§ Lord Actonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jay of Paddington on 20 November 1997 (WA 93), whether the final 10 of the 170 new places under the Secure Accommodation Development Programme have been completed; and whether they now contemplate a further Secure Accommodation Development Programme. [HL435]
§ Baroness HaymanThe final 10 places are expected to be available for use later this month. The Government announced on 22 July 1998 at col.WA 112 how they intend to proceed on the future provision of juvenile secure accommodation, including local authority secure units. This includes the proposed extension of the role of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, established on 30 September 1998 under the Crime and Disorder Act, to include the commissioning and purchasing of secure accommodation for young offenders and for children and young people held on remand. This will help to ensure that children and young people in custody are held in facilities appropriate to their needs. The Government will set out further details of this proposal when these are finalised.