Young Offenders (Hansard, 25 January 1990)

§ 2. Mr. Dover
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the figures for attendance at court by parents in cases where their children who are aged under 18 years are being tried.

§ 53. Mr. Butterfill
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the figures for attendance at court by parents in cases where their children who are aged under 18 years are being tried.

§ 69. Mr. Hague
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the figures for attendance at court by parents in cases where their children who are aged under 18 years are being tried.
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§ Mr. John Patten
When juveniles under 17 appear in court charged with criminal offences the court has the power to require their parents to attend. We do not have statistics on parental attendance, but they should always be there, taking their responsibility.

§ 44. Mr. Riddick
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to make parents more accountable for the behaviour of their own children below the age of 16 years.

§ 102. Mr. Key
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his proposals to increase the responsibilities of parents whose children are charged with criminal offences.

§ Mr. John Patten
We propose to strengthen courts' powers to require parents to attend court with their children and pay fines and compensation orders imposed on their children. We also intend to widen courts' powers to bind over parents to take proper care of and exercise proper control over their children who are convicted of criminal offences.

§ 124. Mr. Gill
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reaction he has received to his proposal to make parents of young offenders obliged to attend court and to take greater responsibility for their children's behaviour.

§ Mr. John Patten
It is well recognised that parents have an important responsibility for their children's behaviour, and my right hon. and learned Friend's proposals have been widely welcomed.

§ 128. Mr. Bill Michie
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people aged under 17 years are locked up in prison establishments at the present time.

§ Mr. Mellor
According to the records held centrally, which are approximate, on 30 June 1989 about 620 persons aged under 17 were held in prison service establishments in England and Wales.