The Duke of Edinburgh’s award could be a vital way of helping keep young offenders away from crime and a "creaking prison system", a Bolton MP says.

The awards run across the country to help youngsters between the ages of 14 and 24 get involved in learning new skills, volunteering and challenging themselves.

Bolton West MP Phil Brickell has now asked in parliament about allowing youths in custody in young offenders’ institutes to take part in the awards to help them find ways out of criminality.

Mr Brickell said: “At a time when our prison system is creaking under the number of people being detained, it is important that we find a way of helping young people before they become repeat offenders.

“That is why I felt it was important to see if there is a way the government can work with existing organisations such as the Duke of Edinburgh award to try to rehabilitate offenders.”

Bolton has already had issues with reoffending ratesBolton has already had issues with reoffending rates (Image: PA)

Criminal reoffending has long been a pressing issue in Bolton where the most recent Ministry of Justice figures show that around a quarter of released inmates reoffend within a year.

The findings show that of the 1,634 offenders in Bolton in the year up to September 2022, 460 reoffended within a year, meaning the borough’s reoffending rate stood at 28.2 per cent.

This was up from 22.2 per cent the year before.

Mr Brickell put his question about allowing youngsters to take part in Duke of Edinburgh's Award as a way of cutting reoffending to the Secretary of State for Justice in Parliament.

In response, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sentencing Sir Nicholas Dakin said that the scheme was available in several young offenders’ institutes.

He said that other secure estates were also hoping to let youngsters in their charge take part,

Sir Nicholas said: “We value the contribution that the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme can make in enabling young people in custody to develop essential skills and discover new talents.

“In this way, they can learn to take responsibility for themselves and others.

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“Those who gain the award will be able to point to a widely respected achievement that can help them fulfil their potential after release.

“The scheme is currently available in HMYOI Wetherby, HMYOI Feltham A, HMYOI Parc and HMYOI Werrington, and management information shows that 36 young people from those establishments are currently enrolled on the scheme.

“Five children in one of our secure children’s homes are also taking part, and a number of other secure children’s homes, as well as Oakhill Secure Training Centre, are in the process of joining the scheme.

“The new Secure School in Kent also plans to offer the award, as part of a varied enrichment and education offer.”