Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to limit the use of child sources in criminal investigations.

Young people under 18 years of age are only deployed as Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS) in extremely rare and exceptional circumstances and are authorised in very small numbers.

For example, the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office (IPCO) confirmed that between January 2015 and December 2018, there were only 17 instances where law enforcement bodies deployed under 18s as CHIS.

In his response on this issue to the Joint Committee on Human Rights, the then Investigatory Powers Commissioner noted that in the “vast majority of cases” deployment of young people as CHIS is only considered “when the juvenile is already engaged in the relevant criminality or is a member of a criminal gang, and that they are not asked to participate in activity that they were not already undertaking.”

While investigators may wish to avoid the use of young people as CHIS, we must recognise that some young people are involved in serious crimes, as perpetrators and victims. Consequently, young people may have unique access to information that is important in preventing and prosecuting gang violence and terrorism. This includes the troubling ‘county lines’ phenomenon which, along with the associated violence, drug dealing and exploitation, has a devastating impact on young people, vulnerable adults and local communities.

Those operating these powers have a duty to ensure they promote the best interests of the young person as a primary consideration. Extensive guidance and enhanced safeguards exist to ensure that the powers are used appropriately, and that young people are suitably safeguarded.