What steps his Department is taking to reduce reoffending rates of young offenders.

The level of juvenile reoffending is at its lowest since 2000, with the rate having come down by more than a fifth between 2000 and 2007. The £100 million youth crime action plan is on track to cut youth offending further through a combination of tough enforcement against offenders, non-negotiable support to families of offenders and early intervention and prevention for young people at risk of offending.

With youth unemployment expected to top 1 million later this week, what further measures is the Department taking to ensure that young offenders are given gainful employment so that they do not return to a life of crime?

The Government's efforts to ensure that young people have employment and education or training will go a long way towards tackling the hon. Gentleman's concerns.

Several years ago, the amount per capita spent on education in the secure estate for young offenders was considerably below that spent on the average secondary school student, despite the high rates of illiteracy and the lack of job skills among young offenders. Has that situation changed? If not, why not?

The amount of money spent on education in both our young offenders estate and the adult prison estate has risen significantly in the intervening years. There is further to go, and more can be done to assist young and adult prisoners to ensure that they acquire the skills and training that will help them live a more honest life when they come out at the end of their sentences.

Does spending two thirds of the youth justice budget on putting young offenders in custody when two thirds of young offenders come out and commit another offence represent good value for money, or could local authorities with a devolved budget do better?

It is for the courts to decide how to sentence those who come before them. The number of young people first entering the criminal justice system is down by 10 per cent. in the past year; reoffending is down by 20 per cent. since 2000; the rate of reoffences classified as serious is down by 20 per cent; the frequency of reoffending is down by a quarter, and the number of offenders who reoffend is down by more than 6.5 per cent. That is a record that the House should applaud.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce reoffending rates of young offenders.

To save time, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I just gave Andrew Rosindell.

Reading young offenders institution runs some fantastic programmes, which help to lower reoffending rates. However, I was extremely concerned to learn from a recent parliamentary answer from the Minister that offenders in Reading prison spend less than one hour a day on education and training. Does she agree that formal education and training should not be neglected as part of the overall package?

I agree with the hon. Gentleman. Although we have made much progress-increasing the amount of spend on adult education by more than 15 times since the Government came to office-more can be done, and we intend to ensure that we do it.