Offender Management Bill

My Lords, I am very conscious of the time. We have had a very powerful exposition in support of the amendment from the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, and some very helpful comments from the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, and the noble Lord, Lord Hylton. I know of a few pilot schemes that are similar to that described by the noble Lord, but I do not know whether any match it precisely. He made some very interesting points about how a peer group can assist young people to heal and change. That is an important consideration. The noble Earl’s interest in this issue is well known. I commend him for it. His amendment draws attention to the disproportionate number of young people in the youth justice system who are looked after or who have previously been looked after by a local authority. I agree with him about the quality and nature of the Government’s White Paper. I could not have been more pleased by its contents and I share the warmth and enthusiasm that many people have expressed about it. Your Lordships know that that was published only a week ago. We set out how determined we are to improve the plight of children in care. We committed to the fact that the aspiration of the state for such children should be no less than each parent’s aspiration would be for their own child. We set out firm actions to make that happen. Therefore, the noble Earl is right to say that that aspiration—that responsibility—goes beyond the literal legal limit as regards their age. In the White Paper, we recognise that, despite improvements to the outcomes of the lives of children and young people in care in recent years, there remains a gap between the outcomes of those in care and the outcomes of all children. For example, 9.6 per cent of children in care, aged 10 or over, were cautioned or convicted for an offence during the year—almost three times the rate for all children of that age. The noble Earl has raised many questions. I can assure him that I have virtually all the answers, but I am very conscious that the House may not like me as much as it said it did earlier if I were to give all those answers. I ask the noble Earl whether I can take advantage of his kind offer to write to him on all those issues. I shall then be able to give a more comprehensive response. He has raised a number of very important issues. I have explained the current position in relation to children and I hope we will develop the new position soon. We wish to legislate in relation to the provisions that are contained in the White Paper at the earliest opportunity. I hope that will give him a little pleasure while he awaits my full, comprehensive answer.