HC Deb 22 July 1988 vol 137 c862W
Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to allow the courts to require parents to bear financial responsibility for offences committed by their children; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question from him on 24 March, at column183.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations his Department has received concerning parents being financially responsible for offences committed by their children; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten

So far in 1988 the Home Office has received about 30 letters suggesting that parents should be made responsible for offences committed by their children.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many children and young persons were found guilty of(a) vandalism, (b) offences against the person and (c) public order offences in each year since 1983;

(2) how many children and young persons were cautioned by a senior police officer for (a) vandalism, (b) offences against the person and (c) public order offences in each year since 1983.

Mr. John Patten

Such information is published annually in volume 4 of the supplementary tables to "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which are in the Library. The information is at tables S4.1(A) and S4.1(B) for persons found guilty and tables S4.1(C) and S4.1(D) for persons cautioned.