Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to house girls convicted of crimes in female-only prison units.

As of February 2024, girls make up less than 1 per cent of the children and young people in the youth estate. There have been fewer than 10 girls in the youth estate at any one time during the period September 2023 to February 2024 (the latest for which figures are available).

Within the youth estate, girls may be placed in establishments that also accommodate boys: in Secure Children’s Homes, at Oakhill Secure Training Centre and at HMYOI Wetherby. Within each sector, every child has his or her own room. When boys and girls come into contact with each other – in education and association areas – they are supervised by staff at all times. The availability of these options is designed to enable the needs of each individual girl to be met in the most appropriate way. We are keeping the position of girls in the youth estate under constant review, and the Youth Custody Service is developing a gender-specific operating model for HMYOI Wetherby, as well as gender-responsive guidance for the wider youth estate.

For the longer term, we are reviewing options, and examining future placement locations and services, for girls who require custody, together with the training and operational support that staff need to enable them to care for girls in the youth estate.