New clause 9 - Remands and committals to secure accommodation etc
Criminal Justice and Police Bill
8:30 pm
Mr Charles Clarke (Minister of State, Home Office; Norwich South, Labour)
I cannot make a definitive statement on the first point. It is not that the Government do not have a view on the right way to go, but there is little value in making absolute statements about targets. We are trying to deal seriously with the problem through the Youth Justice Board proposals. I hope that we will soon be more coherent on the subject than I can be now. I cannot immediately give the hon. Gentleman the assurance that he seeks.
As to the troubled start to the process—in Medway and elsewhere—we are seeking to manage it effectively in order to end the problems as soon as possible. The complicated tapestry of different organisations—secure centres, local authority centres, prisons and so forth—has been unsatisfactory, and we need to use tagging and other measures. The Youth Justice Board approach should enable us to move towards a more coherent position. The truth is that we have further to go before I can say that we have arrived.
I hope that the Committee will approve the new clauses, which will significantly improve the Bill.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause read a Second time, and added to the Bill.