Written question asked by David Burrowes (Conservative) on Tuesday, 15 December 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 5 January 2010. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Monday, 18 January 2010 on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Youth Custody

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many hours on average a young offender spent in (a) general education, (b) literacy work, (c) numeracy work, (d) training, (e) physical education and (f) recreation/association in each (i) secure children's home, (ii) secure training centre and (iii) young offender institution in the latest period for which figures are available.

Answer: I have been asked to reply.Figures collected by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the Youth Justice Board (YJB) for September 2008 to August 2009 indicate that in Young People in Prison Service YOIs received an average of 27.5 hours per person per week of education, training and personal development. From October 2009 NOMS have implemented new data collection systems which, along with data returns from the LSC will allow greater accuracy and detail in reporting on education, training and constructive activities in the future.The YJB report that in private YOIs, young people received an average of 33.9 hours of education, training and personal development activity per week during August 2008 to September 2009.Data from the YJB indicate that between September 2008 and August 2009, 91.3 per cent. of young people in SCHs received a minimum of 30 hours of provision and in STCs this was 99 per cent. of young people.These figures encompass a range of education and constructive activities and information is not collected broken down by specific type of activity.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 504 c27W; 308780
Session: 2009-10
Related items: Youth Custody: Education
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Youth custody
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk