Youth Justice System

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede Excerpts

Tuesday 23rd March 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

The noble Lord is absolutely right: we need to keep an eye on timings and where these communities are. However, we also need to make sure that we do everything we possibly can through education and support to make sure that children do not come into the system in the first place.

[Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, the backlog in the national referral mechanism was growing before the first lockdown and has grown at a faster rate during the past year. How long can youths and youth courts expect to wait for an NRM review, and does the Minister agree that excessive waits are not in the interests of justice or of the youths concerned?