§ Mr. Eric PicklesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future of the St Charles site in Brentwood and Ongar. [98446]
§ Hilary BennThe Youth Justice Board (YJB) for England and Wales is responsible for commissioning and purchasing secure accommodation for juveniles from the Prison Service, private sector, and local authority secure children's homes, and for setting and monitoring standards.
1104WPlaning permission was obtained last year to build a 40 bed secure training centre at the St Charles site. The project has been under review pending the final outcome of the last spending review, but I can confirm that it will go ahead. The Youth Justice Board hope to restart the bidding process in May 2003.