Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Accepted
The 2016 Taylor review called for education to be at the heart of dealing with...
Recommendation
The 2016 Taylor review called for education to be at the heart of dealing with children in custody and outlined a new model of provision called secure schools. The Ministry immediately accepted the findings of the Review and committed to creating two secure schools. HMPPS originally planned for the first secure school to be open by autumn 2020, but there have been recurrent delays, partly because of unrealistic timescales at the start of the project.51 HMPPS told us that it is now aiming to open the first secure school at the former Medway STC site in November 2023, but has built in another three months contingency on top, so the secure school may not open until February 2024.52 This would be more than seven years after the Taylor review. HMPPS told us that upon opening the secure school will build up to full complement slowly and that it would avoid moving children around Christmas time as this would be too disruptive.53
Government Response Summary
The government states that arrangements are in place to exert firm control over the timetable and costs for opening the first secure school and commits to providing the Committee with an update on progress against the timetable in January 2023.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: January 2023 4.2 Arrangements are in place to exert firm control over the timetable and costs for opening the first secure school. The full business case, which has received all necessary approvals, set out the revised funding profile (including risk contingency and optimism bias elements) and opening date range for the secure school. As with all major projects, the Ministry and HMPPS have in place formal governance structures to ensure the project remains on track to deliver within these parameters. Layers of assurance and guidance are also in place in relation to the operating model to ensure progress is maintained and is informed by best practice. 4.3 The project reports to Oasis Restore Project Board, the YCS Transformation Board (chaired by the Senior Responsible Owner for the Project – the Executive Director of the YCS), and the Ministry’s Investment Committee (chaired by the Chief Operating Officer), with a focus on ensuring delivery within time and cost tolerances. 4.4 The government commits to providing the Committee with an update on progress against the timetable in January 2023.