Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of Youth Justice Board reform on staffing levels.

The Government is reforming the Youth Justice Board (YJB) to focus on driving the continuous improvement of Youth Justice Services. The Ministry of Justice will be responsible for the Youth Justice core grant, Youth Justice standards, performance monitoring and oversight functions and digital and IT provision.

This reform aims to produce a more streamlined and purposeful national system which enables Youth Justice Services to deliver improved outcomes for children, victims and communities. The YJB will have a reduced headcount to deliver its refocused remit.

My officials and I are working closely with YJB colleagues at all levels to design the detail of this new model which will come into force from April 2027 and to provide clarity to hard-working YJB staff where possible during this period of reform.