§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Youth Justice Board will assume responsibility for the procurement and provision of secure remand places for juveniles. [103868]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Youth Justice Board for England and Wales will assume responsibility for commissioning and purchasing places in secure accommodation for remanded and sentenced children and young people in April 2000.
§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the cost to local authorities in the last year for which figures are available of(a) providing secure remand places for juveniles and for the escort of juveniles for court appearances and (b) the reimbursement paid under Section 21 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. [103869]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeChildren and young people remanded to local authority secure accommodation are the responsibility of the local authority designated by the court. Information on the costs to local authorities of providing secure remand places and escorts for court appearances is not collected centrally.
The secure remand provisions in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 were implemented on 1 June 1999. On the basis of the claims so far submitted, the Home Office has paid local authorities nearly £500,000 for the additional costs incurred by them in such cases.