§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) further to paragraph 822 of the White Paper, "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public", if he will set out his policies with respect to abolition of certification of unruly behaviour;
(2) further to paragraph 822 of the White Paper, "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public", if he will place a copy of his consultative document in the Library;
(3) what new proposals he has in respect of young people aged 15 and 16 years in regard to remand and to the provisions of the Bail Act; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John Patten[holding answers 29 and 30 November 1990]: It remains our intention to publish a consultation paper setting out detailed proposals for reforming the arrangements for the remand of alleged juvenile offenders, 12W including the abolition of the unruliness certification procedure. I shall arrange for a copy of the consultation paper to be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will make it his policy to create a clear separation at the age of 16 years so that young people aged 16 and 17 years are dealt with by the new youth court but children aged 10 to 16 years are dealt with either by a separate juvenile court or by separate sittings of a youth court;
(2) what is his latest policy for setting the lower age limit in respect of young people being brought before the proposed youth courts;
(3) whether he will make it his policy that magistrates courts should so structure their operations as to deal separately with children aged under 14 years and those who are aged 14-plus.
§ Mr. John Patten[holding answer 29 and 30 November 1990]: The jurisdiction of the proposed youth court, to be introduced by the Criminal Justice Bill, will include young people aged 10 to 17 inclusive who are charged with criminal offences. Within each youth court listing arrangements will be a matter for the justices' clerk to determine.