Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of young people held in the secure estate are on remand as of 5 December 2023.

Data on the number of children held on remand is published regularly as part of the Youth custody data release with the legal basis for custody provided in table 1.6. The most recently published information confirms that as of 31 October 2023 out of total of 597 children and young people who were held in custody there were 241 (40%) on remand. It should be noted that the figures for October 2023 are provisional and will be finalised in next month’s release. The number on remand represents individual’s most precedent legal basis at the time and includes those awaiting sentence as well as individuals how have yet to be tried.

My department produced a review last year about the use of custodial remand for children. We recently finished consulting on how we can change the funding we provide annually to local authorities in relation to children on remand, and will be responding to that in the spring.

Youth Custody Data can be found via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/youth-custody-data.