HC Deb 11 June 2002 vol 386 cc1233-4W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department takes to address the needs of children and young people who sexually abuse; and if he will make a statement. [57197]

Hilary Benn

Dealing with children and young people who sexually abuse requires contributions from different agencies, covering youth justice, child welfare, and education and health, including child and adolescent mental health agencies.

Specific Home Office measures include the Home Office sponsored Youth Justice Board's funding of £60,000 for six projects that work with this group of young people, and a grant of £87,442 to a project developing and piloting new assessment methods. The Board are also working with the National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) to develop good practice and guidance for youth offending teams, and within the juvenile secure estate.

The National Probation Service, jointly with the Prison Service and Youth Justice Board, are funding a pilot young sex offenders project for young people aged between 15 and 21, offering specialist assessments and interventions both in custody and in the community.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many meetings he has had with ministerial colleagues with regard to children and young people who sexually abuse in the last two years. [57199]

Hilary Benn

I have had no formal meetings with ministerial colleagues specifically regarding children and young people who sexually abuse.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of children and young people who are required to register in accordance with the Sex Offenders Act 1997 received treatment for sexually abusive behaviour in(a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001. [57176]

Hilary Benn

The Sex Offenders Act 1997 requires offenders cautioned, convicted, or found not guilty by reason of insanity in respect of an offence specified in Schedule One to the Act to provide certain details to the police. There is no centralised "register" of sex offenders, as such. It is not, therefore, possible to disaggregate the number of young people from adults subject to the Act's requirements.

Neither the Home Office nor the Youth Justice Board holds statistics on the number of young offenders who are required as a condition of their sentence to undertake treatment to address sexually abusive behaviour.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations made as a result of the consultation, 'Setting the Boundaries: Reforming the Law on Sex Offences'. [57188]

Hilary Benn

We are currently considering how to update existing legislation on sex offences in the light of the recommendations contained in 'Setting the Boundaries' and more than 700 responses that were received during the consultation period. We intend to bring forward legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the regulations by which schedule 1 status is applied to juveniles. [57177]

Hilary Benn

Schedule 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 is a list of violent and sexual offences against children. This list has been used by various agencies as a way of identifying those who may pose a risk to children. There are currently no regulations that deal specifically with juveniles who commit a schedule 1 offence.

Julie Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding was available for programmes which addressed the needs of children and young people who sexually abuse in(a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001. [57321]

Hilary Benn

Full information is not held centrally. Specific related programme funding includes the Home Office sponsored Youth Justice Board's funding of six projects between 1999 and 2002, which totalled £600,000. The board are also providing funding totalling £87,442 between October 2001 and December 2003 to a project developing and piloting new assessment methods, and funding totalling £14,921 between November 2001 and March 2003 to a project examining the national provision of services.

The National Probation Service is funding a pilot young sex offenders project designed to provide a specialist assessment and intervention service for young people aged between 15 and 21. The pilot received grant funding of £243,000 in 2001–02 and has a budget of £331,000 for 2002–03.