Written question asked by Lord Corbett of Castle Vale (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord McNally (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 27 September 2010.

Youth Justice

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, what progress has been made in implementing Section 34 of the Offender Management Act 2007 enabling the Secretary of State to extend the range of establishments in which young people serving detention and training orders may be housed.

Answer: Section 34 of the Offender Management Act 2007 enables the Secretary of State, by order, to specify new types of accommodation in which the custodial part of the detention and training order may be served. Before any alternative setting could be approved, it is important to ensure that the new type of accommodation would be safe and appropriate for the young people who would be placed there, that the public would be protected and that the expenditure involved represented value for money. The Youth Justice Board has been looking at both the possible requirement for new types of provision and at possible alternative providers. Any addition to the current range of specified accommodation would be dependent on the Government's being satisfied that the three requirements set out above can be met.

Secondary information