Gillick v. West Norfolk and Wisbech Health Authority (Hansard, 7 November 2002)

§ Lord Hunt of Kings Heath:

Following the case of Gillick v. West Norfolk and Wisbech Area Health Authority the courts have held that children who have sufficient understanding and intelligence to enable them to understand fully what is involved in a proposed intervention will also have the capacity to consent to that intervention. Only the courts can rule on the precise scope of the judgment. However, in the view of the Government it sets a general principle which would be applicable to consent for treatment in areas of treatment other than abortion and family planning services.