§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) juveniles and (b) young offenders had been on remand at Feltham Young Offenders Unit for (i) two to four weeks, (ii) four to six weeks, and (iii) eight weeks or more, (1) currently and (2) between October 1997 and October 1998. [66397]
§ Mr. George HowarthThe information requested is given in the table. The latest available data are for November 1998.
Population of young offenders at HMP Feltham by length of time since first reception Length of time since first remand into prison Juveniles1 Young offenders2 30 November 19983 Up to 2 weeks 28 52 2 weeks up to 4 weeks 20 40 4 weeks up to 6 weeks 24 23 6 weeks up to 8 weeks 14 36 8 weeks or more 65 138 31 October 19983 Up to 2 weeks 37 45 2 weeks up to 4 weeks 23 58 4 weeks up to 6 weeks 18 25 6 weeks up to 8 weeks 10 22 8 weeks or more 60 150 31 October 1997 Up to 2 weeks 23 40 2 weeks up to 4 weeks 24 42 4 weeks up to 6 weeks 9 26 6 weeks up to 8 weeks 4 23 8 weeks or more 55 155 1Persons aged 15–17 years 2 Persons aged 18–20 years 3Provisional figures
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current staffing level at Feltham Young Offenders Unit; and if it is at full strength to cover all regimes. [66444]
§ Mr. George HowarthThe prison officer staffing complement at Feltham Young Offender Institution is 243. There were 242 prison officers in post as at 15 January 1999. Of these, 230 are operational, nine are undergoing prison officer initial training and three are suspended. There are six members of staff on long-term sick leave.
The health care department at Feltham is currently running seven health care officers/nurses short of complement; the gymnasium is two officers short of complement; and the industries and works departments are three instructors short of complement. In each case the regime has been affected. Steps are being taken to improve this situation; two officers are receiving training to become physical education officers and one additional instructor has been identified for works and industries.
The governor is conducting a recruitment exercise for officers and is implementing measures to reduce the number of staff on long-term sick leave.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reduce the length of time(a) young offenders and (b) juveniles spend on remand at Feltham Young Offenders Unit. [66391]
555W
§ Mr. George HowarthOne of the Government's top priorities is faster and more efficient youth justice proceedings. One of our key manifesto commitments is to halve the time it takes to deal with persistent young offenders from arrest to sentence. In 1996, the average time taken was 142 days—the objective is to reduce this to 71 days. In the Public Service Agreements for the Home Office and the Criminal Justice System, the Government are committed to achieving a national average of 71 days by March 2002.
A range of measures have been introduced aimed at reducing delay in the youth justice system. The Home Office has prepared comprehensive best practice guidance on a range of issues—particularly the establishment of fast-tracking schemes in local areas. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 includes a whole range of measures to tackle delays—strengthening the ability of the courts to manage cases, and making procedural changes to ensure that unnecessary delays are avoided—we have just implemented some of these measures; others are being piloted.
More specifically, the Government's plans for ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place for remanded juveniles are being taken forward in the context of the wider programme of work arising from its review of all forms of secure accommodation for young offenders and young people held on remand or under sentence. The Government's aim is to implement provisions in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 as soon as practicable, and by June 1999 at the latest, to allow the courts to remand directly to local authority secure accommodation 12–14 year olds, 15 and 16 year old girls and, where a place has been identified in advance, vulnerable 15 and 16 year old boys. The existing arrangements for remanding other 15 and 16 year old boys to Prison Service accommodation will continue for the time being, though the Government wish to move to a position where the practice of prison remands is no longer necessary.
In the meantime, work is being taken forward, with the Youth Justice Board, to improve the standard of care and quality of regimes for remanded and sentenced juveniles held in Prison Service accommodation to ensure that these are appropriate to the needs of young people. The Government are also making available funds, which will be administered by the Youth Justice Board, to develop local bail support provision to help ensure that custodial remands are used appropriately for the most serious and persistent cases.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the percentage of uniformed officers from ethnic minority communities at Feltham Young Offenders Unit. [66401]
§ Mr. George HowarthThere are currently 15 uniformed officers, 6 per cent. of the total, from ethnic minority communities employed at Feltham Young Offender Institution.
A local recruitment exercise is under-way and advertisements have been worded specifically to encourage applications from individuals from ethnic minority communities. Selection is always on merit.
556WThe Prison Service has recently been reviewing levels of representation from the ethnic minorities and the opportunities it provides for its own ethnic minority staff. As at 1 January 1999, the Prison Service employed 1,246 members of staff, 3 per cent. of the total from the ethnic minorities. Proposals for action are being developed which will include the launch of a new national recruitment outreach strategy.