Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to reform the rules governing the disclosure of childhood criminal records by the Disclosure and Barring Service so that future opportunities are not impacted.

This Government knows that too many young people with a criminal record are being locked out of education, employment and other opportunities long after they have left their offending behind. That is not in their interests, and it is not in the public interest either.

The Youth Justice White Paper (Cutting youth crime, changing young lives) committed to consulting on a targeted, proportionate package of reforms to the disclosure of youth criminal records by the end of this year. The responses to the consultation will help to inform changes to the current disclosure regime.