Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that the minimum age of criminal responsibility is assessed in line with the most up-to-date scientific research on children's development.

We believe that setting the age of criminal responsibility at 10 provides flexibility in dealing with children, allowing early intervention with the aim of preventing subsequent offending. The Government does not have any current plans to either review or change the age of criminal responsibility.

The approach of the youth justice system is rightly distinct from that of adults, focusing on the statutory aim of preventing offending by children and the welfare of the child. When considering the most appropriate response to offending by a young person the age, maturity and needs of a child are always considered.