Young People (Custody)

Part of the debate – in Westminster Hall at 3:03 pm on 9 February 2005.

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Photo of Paul Goggins Paul Goggins Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office 3:03, 9 February 2005

If my hon. Friend will forgive me, I will come to that a little later. I hope that he will allow me to conclude the part of my speech that emphasises the improvements that we have made in provision for young people in custody. The increase in educational funding has been substantial, and a young person in custody now has an average of 24 hours' education and training every week. Some might think that that is not remarkable; that that should be our standard. I agree. However, it was not achieved in the past, and we are achieving it now. That is wholly positive.

Of course, hon. Members are right to press for further improvements. I am sure that more needs to be done, and we should all consider what might be possible. However, it is also fair to acknowledge the improvement in standards. My hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre pointed out that a rather partial quotation from the Children's Rights Alliance was used in the recent the Youth Justice Board publication. None the less, it acknowledged that improvement had occurred, as did the Audit Commission, which regards our youth justice system as a massive improvement over what there was before.

A matter of particular concern to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre, and to hon. Members of all parties, is the serious and pressing issue of suicide and self-harm. The recent death of Gareth Price at Lancaster Farms YOI, like all deaths in custody, was a terrible tragedy, and I send my deepest sympathy to Gareth's family, and to the staff at Lancaster Farms. My hon. Friend mentioned earlier that he and I went together to Lancaster Farms just a few days ago and met the member of staff who tried to save that young boy's life. We should never forget the efforts that staff make, and the care that they show the vulnerable young people in our custodial system. I pay tribute to them for that, and am grateful that my hon. Friend has joined me in doing so.

We take such deaths extremely seriously. First, there is a police investigation whenever there is a death in custody. That is quite right because, depending on the circumstances, there might be grounds for a prosecution. Certainly, there is a need for a report to the coroner. Of course, the coroner carries out an inquest into all deaths that occur in custody. There is also the chapter 8 review, using the Department of Health guidelines, which is conducted by the local authority for the area in which the young person resided ordinarily. As the prisons and probation ombudsman has been given the responsibility for investigating all deaths in custody, including, now, those of juveniles, there is also the investigation that he carries out with support from the Youth Justice Board. So a rigorous and comprehensive view is taken of any death in custody, and rightly so.

Shortly—before the end of February, I hope—the Home Office will be able to respond to the Joint Committee on Human Rights, which published before Christmas an extensive and important report on deaths in custody. I hope that the House will see from our response that we take these issues seriously.