Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Philippines on proposals to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility in that country to 12 years old.

​We continue to urge the government of the Philippines to consider their position over this issue carefully, in particular we consider it important to ensure there are appropriate juvenile detention facilities in place before proceeding with proposals to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility.

The Foreign Secretary has not discussed this issue with the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs. However, the British Embassy in Manila continues to raise this, and other human rights issues, with relevant stakeholders.