Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the cost of their consultations on proposals for secure colleges.

The Government has conducted two consultation exercises in relation to Secure Colleges: the Transforming Youth Custody consultation which closed in April 2013, and a consultation on Plans for Secure College Rules which closed on 27 November 2014. Costs associated with the consultation on Plans for Secure College Rules are currently being confirmed, but we estimate that the total cost of these consultations will be approximately £27,950. The majority of this estimated cost relates to consultation with young people in custody, conducted by the providers of advocacy services across the youth custodial estate. This total also includes the cost of engagement events, printing of the consultation papers and the Government response to the Transforming Youth Custody consultation, and the translation of these documents into Welsh.