I am calling on the UK Government and Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood to immediately reverse the decision to approve PAVA spray for use in children’s prisons.

PAVA is a powerful chemical irritant classified as a prohibited weapon under the Firearms Act 1968. It causes excruciating pain and can lead to lasting psychological trauma. Approving its use against children is not just unacceptable—it is inhumane.

Children in custody already suffer devastating conditions. Many are locked in their cells for up to 23 hours a day, denied access to education, fresh air, and basic dignity. Authorising the use of PAVA will normalise violence in an environment where these children are already isolated, neglected, and harmed.

This policy directly contradicts the government’s own ‘Child First’ approach, which claims to prioritise the welfare, rehabilitation, and rights of children. Spraying children with chemical weapons is not protection—it is punishment, and it flies in the face of any commitment to child welfare.

We believe that children should not be imprisoned at all, but while they are, the state has a duty to care for them, not torture them.

We demand:
- The immediate ban of PAVA spray in all youth custody settings.
- A full review of the use of force in children’s prisons.