§ Lord Hoyleasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will appoint an operational manager to oversee training for employment on release for prisoners aged 18 to 21 following the appointment of a similar manager for prisoners aged 15 to 18. [HL1019]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe Prison Service has appointed heads of learning and skills in young offender institutions (YOI) holding juvenile prisoners with funding from the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales. The heads are responsible for implementing the board's national specification for learning and skills and for planning and managing learning and skills provision for juveniles held in YOIs.
We are increasing investment in prison education and training, raising core funding to £85 million in 2003–04, £110 million in 2004–05 and £125 million in 2005–06. Prisoners aged 18 to 21 are an early priority for this additional investment which aims to deliver a programme of learning from their induction through to their resettlement. We are currently considering the potential for extending heads of learning and skills posts across the prison estate.
The Government are also investing an additional £14.5 million a year from April 2003 in the Prison Service Custody to Work initiative to increase the number of prisoners getting jobs or education or training places after release. This will enable establishments, including those holding prisoners aged 18 to 21, to strengthen their pre-release training and partnership work geared to improving employment outcomes for released prisoners.