§ Mr. BrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to bring forward proposals to make parents accept responsibility for failing to prevent crimes by their children; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenThe debate about the proposals put forward earlier this year for increasing parents' responsibility for their children's offending is continuing. Views have been received from a number of interested parties covering matters including parental attendance at juvenile court hearings; parental liability for fines and compensation orders imposed upon their children; and the wider use of existing penalties. We shall decide how to proceed in the light of those and other responses.