§ Mr. Greenwayasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the effectiveness 888W of the law relating to child prostitution; what surveys or other evidence is available to him on this subject; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorWe have not set up any special study of child prostitution, but have taken note of published material on the subject from other sources.
The Criminal Law Revision Committee, with the assistance of a policy advisory committee including members from the police and from the medical, teaching and social work professions, has been engaged on a comprehensive review of the law relating to prostitution, and has received evidence from a wide range of bodies, of which the CLRC's report, now in course of preparation, will no doubt take full account. In its report on sexual offences, published in April, the CLRC recommended increased penalties for certain sexual offences involving children.
Subject to consideration of the CLRC's recommendations, we believe that the existing law relating to child prostitution is generally adequate. It includes provisions prohibiting the procurement of a girl under the age of 21 for the purpose of unlawful sexual intercourse in any part of the world with a third person, and prohibiting sexual intercourse with those below the age of consent, and the exploitation of children for the purposes of pornography. There are inevitably difficulties in enforcing the law where the children are themselves unwilling or unable to seek the protection of the police or other social agencies.