Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department are taking to reduce reoffending rates among people convicted under the age of 16.

The government is committed to preventing offending by children, in line with the principal aim of the youth justice system as set out in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) are a central part of the multi-agency work to realise this aim. YOTs support children on the cusp of offending and those who have already offended, addressing the causes of their behaviour and helping them to turn their lives around.

In recognition of the important role that YOTs play in preventing youth offending, we have secured an additional £7m funding for YOTs for 2021-2022 – an 8% increase on last year’s funding. This will mean that the Youth Justice Board’s anticipated funding for frontline services for 2021-2022 is £81.7m.