Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons publication entitled Report on an unannounced inspection of HMYOI Wetherby by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, 20 November – 7 December 2023, published on 5 March 2024, what assessment he has made of future options for the accommodation of girls on the Secure Youth Estate.

His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service is providing support to the staff at HMYOI Wetherby who care for girls in the Keppel Unit. The Youth Custody Service is looking to develop a gender-specific operating model for HMYOI Wetherby, and gender-responsive guidance for the wider youth secure estate. We will continue to place girls into the Keppel Unit when it best suits their needs.

For the longer term, we are examining future placement options of girls who receive a custodial sentence, together with the operational support and training needed for the care of girls in the youth estate.