Age of Criminal Responsibility

Baroness Uddin Excerpts

Wednesday 21st January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Levitt (Lab)]

Noble Lords will probably be interested to know, if they are not already aware, that the Code for Crown Prosecutors has the age and maturity of a defendant as a specific public interest factor tending against prosecution. There are a number of other factors in the Crown Prosecution Service’s legal guidance that point towards keeping children out of the system when that is in their best interests and when it is not necessary for a criminal prosecution to take place.

[Baroness Uddin (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, given the range of concerns and questions raised across the House, will the Minister and her department consider putting in the Library or otherwise providing a briefing for Members of this House about the numbers of children involved in the criminal justice system, their race, gender and class—if my noble friend insists on that—and how they affect these matters?

[Baroness Levitt (Lab)]

We can of course provide such statistics as we hold, although I think those on class might be a little more difficult to define than, for example, those on race and gender. It is important to recognise that there are issues relating to children from particular parts of society who are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, and the Government are extremely keen to continue the work of the previous Government to ensure that they are diverted, so that they can lead productive lives in the future.