Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment his Department has made on the level of academic attainment for incarcerated young offenders; and if he will make a statement.

We are putting education and training at the heart of youth custody through the creation of Secure Colleges. These will be give young people the skills, qualifications and self-discipline needed to turn their back on crime and become productive members of society.

In addition, a competition is underway for new contracts which will aim to more than double the number of hours young people in Young Offenders Institutions spend in education each week.

Evidence relating to education in custody has been included in recent publications by the Ministry of Justice and Youth Justice Board (YJB). This information relates to the proportions of the young offenders in education and the classes / vocational training taken. The publications can be accessed via the following links:

- Ministry of Justice: Transforming Youth Custody Consultation (https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/transforming-youth-custody)

- Youth Justice Board: Young People and the Secure Estate: Needs and Intervention (http://cdn.basw.co.uk/upload/basw_30943-9.pdf)

- HM Inspectorate of Prisons: Children and Young People in Custody (http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmipris/summaries-of-juvenile-survey-responses/hmip-children-young-people-in-custody-12-13.pdf)