Children (Scotland) Act 1995

75 Powers of Secretary of State with respect to secure accommodation

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision with respect to the placing in secure accommodation of any child—

(a) who is subject to a requirement imposed under section 70(3)(a) of this Act but not subject to a requirement under subsection (9) of that section; or

(b) who is not subject to a supervision requirement but who is being looked after by a local authority in pursuance of such enactments as may be specified in the regulations.

(2) Regulations under subsection (1) above may—

(a) specify the circumstances in which a child may be so placed under the regulations;

(b) make provision to enable a child who has been so placed or any relevant person to require that the child’s case be brought before a children’s hearing within a shorter period than would apply under regulations made under subsection (3) below; and

(c) specify different circumstances for different cases or classes of case.

(3) Subject to subsection (4) below and without prejudice to subsection (2)(b) above, the Secretary of State may prescribe—

(a) the maximum period during which a child may be kept under this Act in secure accommodation without the authority of a children’s hearing or of the sheriff;

(b) the period within which a children’s hearing shall be arranged to consider the case of a child placed in secure accommodation by virtue of regulations made under this section (and different periods may be so prescribed in respect of different cases or classes of case).

(4) Subsection (8) of section 66 of this Act shall apply in respect of a child placed in secure accommodation under regulations made under this section as if such placing took place by virtue of that section.

(5) The Secretary of State may by regulations vary the period within which a review of a condition imposed under section 70(9) of this Act shall be reviewed under section 73 of this Act.

(6) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for the procedures to be applied in placing children in secure accommodation; and without prejudice to the generality of this subsection, such regulations may—

(a) specify the duties of the Principal Reporter in relation to the placing of children in secure accommodation;

(b) make provision for the referral of cases to a children’s hearing for review; and

(c) make provision for any person with parental responsibilities in relation to the child to be informed of the placing of the child in secure accommodation.