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Crime and Policing Bill

My Lords, I have not added my name to Amendment 433, but I have to Amendment 434. I am grateful to the noble Baroness for having tabled it.

3.45 pm

The Welsh Government’s child-first approach to youth justice ensures that we centre the individual needs of children in, or at risk of entering, the judicial system, rather than assuming a service-based approach. In Wales there has been a sharp and sustained decline in first-time entrants into the criminal justice system over the last 15 years; that is testament to the effectiveness of this preventive approach. It is also a reflection of the commitment, resilience and compassion of youth justice professionals, who work tirelessly to improve outcomes for children in conflict with the law. There is plenty of evidence for the beneficial outcomes that the devolution of youth justice could bring. As the noble Baroness pointed out, our UK Labour Government have a manifesto commitment to explore the devolution of youth justice, for which this amendment calls.

Children in the justice system tend to have multiple overlapping needs, often stemming from disadvantage, trauma and unmet developmental needs. These are some of the children who most need the support, yet, due to the jagged edge of devolution, the support

system is not always as joined up as it should be. I believe the devolution of youth justice in Wales would resolve that, and I speak as a former Secretary of State for Wales.

I understand that Ministers and officials in both Labour Governments have been working together to explore options where responsibilities in the youth justice system could be realigned. This initial work, including on strategic oversight, partnerships, governance and the funding of youth justice services, is a logical and practical first step. It is important that these discussions are concluded positively and very soon, because they are a step forward towards creating safer communities and better life chances for children.

As the noble Baronesses pointed out, it is also important to acknowledge that Wales already holds responsibility for many of the services that shape young people’s lives. Education, health, social services, housing and local authority support are already devolved. These devolved services are the ones most closely linked to preventing youth offending and supporting rehabilitation. Devolving youth justice would therefore create a more coherent system, allowing interventions and support to be aligned across the agencies, reducing duplication and improving early intervention capacity.

Existing Welsh approaches to prevention, community safety and rehabilitation could be applied more consistently if responsibility for youth justice were fully devolved. At present, justice remains a reserved matter. I acknowledge and understand that our UK Labour Government, facing pressures such as prison overcrowding, asylum problems and the legacy of inherited Conservative neglect and chaos, have had limited capacity to consider substantial structural reforms across justice responsibilities. However, youth justice stands out as an area where immediate progress is both feasible and symbolically important, demonstrating renewed intergovernmental respect and co-operation.

Combined authorities in England, such as Greater Manchester, have been granted more devolved roles in probation services, enabling localised approaches to rehabilitation and reoffending education. If such an arrangement is suitable for Manchester, surely a similar model could form a practical starting point for Wales, especially in the area of youth reoffending and justice.

The argument for youth justice devolution is also framed within the wider context of resetting intergovernmental relations. I applaud the fact that our UK Labour Government have shown much greater respect for the devolution settlement, including improved adherence to the Sewel convention and the return of decision-making powers over funding that were centrally administered under the last Government—even though, prior to Brexit, they had been under EU programmes. We should build on this by demonstrating tangible progress in specific policy areas. Youth justice, as a relatively contained and high-impact policy area, would be an ideal example for early action.

In conclusion, I hope that my noble friend the Minister will encourage greater understanding of this matter so that we can return on Report with a win for UK Labour and Welsh Labour, and above all for young people in Wales, without having to divide the House.