Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of BME people held in young offender institutions were previously excluded from school.

Please see the recent survey by HM Inspectorate Prisons of young people under 18 in Young Offender Institutions, 81% of BME young people reported having been excluded from school:

http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/inspections/children-in-custody-2013-14/#.VJAwLY1trIU

The Government is transforming youth custody to put education at the heart of detention and equip young offenders with the skills, qualifications and self-discipline they need to lead productive, law-abiding lives on release. On 15 December new contracts were awarded which will more than double the current average number of hours of education provided in Young Offender Institutions each week and the Government intends that education will be at the heart of the new Secure College opening in 2017.