§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on prison resources directed at the rehabilitation of prisoners aged 25 years and under. [152756]
§ Paul GogginsThe Prison Service does not collate information separately on resources directed at rehabilitation for adult prisoners aged 25 and under. The Government have invested extra funds in improving regimes for prisoners and in programmes that will assist rehabilitation and resettlement. These include offending behaviour programmes, drug treatment programmes, education to improve basic and key work skills and the Custody to Work initiative which seeks to increase the number of prisoners getting jobs or education or training places after release.
In the Spending Review 2000 settlement additional funding of £162 million was allocated over the period 2001–02 to 2003–04 to strengthen work on resettlement and rehabilitation. In addition the funding for education and training for prisoners rose from £57 million in 2001–02 to £66 million in 2002–03 and £97 million in 2003–04.
1717WThe Youth Justice Board (YJB) is responsible for the commissioning and purchasing of all secure accommodation for under 18-year-olds. Under an annual service level agreement between the YJB and the Prison Service, the aim of the juvenile establishments is to provide a full and active day, with 30 hours a week purposeful activity, including good quality education and training provision while in custody. The present level of funding supporting education is approximately £17 million.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to extend the pilot assessment and treatment programmes at HMP Whitemoor, HMP Frankland, and Broadmoor and Rampton hospitals to other prisons in the UK. [152838]
§ Paul GogginsWe have no plans at present to extend the assessment and treatment programmes to other prisons in the UK. Before any decisions about the future development of services can be taken, more time is needed to evaluate the work of the pilot sites.