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Young People: Remand in Custody

Volume 489: debated on Tuesday 17 March 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of detaining juveniles (a) under court-ordered secure remand and (b) otherwise remanded in custody was in the last year for which figures are available. (264099)

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 23 February 2009, Official Report, columns 361-362W.

The Youth Justice Board have calculated that in 2007-08 the total cost of detaining young people under a court ordered secure remand was £19,218,653. This includes contributions from both local authorities and the Youth Justice Board.

In respect of those young people remanded into custody there is no distinction made in the Youth Justice Board's service level agreement with the Prison Service between the cost of remands to custody and the cost of custodial sentences. However, based on the average costs of a bed in a young offenders institution and the average number of young people remanded to custody, the Youth Justice Board have estimated that the total cost of remands to custody in-2007-08 was £26.982,000.