Youth Justice
Debate between Baroness Levitt and Baroness McIntosh of Pickering(3 weeks, 2 days ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Baroness Levitt (Lab)
The reduction in the number of children involved is very good news. In fact, it is an even greater reduction than the noble and learned Lord, Lord Keen, said. He said that there are now only about 1,400 children in custody, whereas it is actually only just over 400, so it is even better. The noble Lord will recall that a few moments ago the noble and learned Lord, Lord Keen, repeated back my words from when I was standing here dealing with the age of criminal responsibility before. I can certainly reassure him that we do not have any plan to change the age of criminal responsibility. We are going to let the Bar Council report and then we will look at what that report says. We know that it is fraught with risks. I can recall the noble Lord, Lord Bailey, making a powerful speech about the risk that gangs could recruit children with impunity if either the age of criminal responsibility is raised or their criminal records are wiped clean. We will bear in mind all those things when we look at this. The clue is in the word “consulting”, which is what we get criticised for doing by the party opposite.
Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Con)
My Lords, I welcome the plan. Will the Minister join me in recognising the role that young offender institutions play? Can she update the House on the recruitment and retention of those who serve in often very difficult circumstances in those institutions?
Baroness Levitt (Lab)
I certainly will pay tribute to those who work in young offender institutions—it is a really difficult job—but the custodial youth estate is fundamentally failing children at the moment. There is quite a lot of evidence that smaller units such as secure children’s homes are more effective at supporting children. It is a difficult issue. Noble Lords may have heard a rumour that we inherited a challenging financial position, and plainly we need to consider that while we are deciding what to do, but we have a youth custody transformation plan. In essence, the White Paper is the umbrella that sets out where we intend to go and three further announcements will then be made: the youth custody transformation plan in autumn 2026, the diversion from custody—the non-custodial options—plan also in autumn 2026, and the review of youth courts and the part that they play in the treatment of children in the criminal justice system, which I am sure noble Lords will be delighted to hear is being conducted by the eminent academic Professor David Ormerod KC, which is intended to report in August 2027.