§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to bring in legislation to ensure that the age of consent for sex between(a) homosexuals, (b) lesbians and (c) heterosexuals is the same; what is the present minimum age of consent; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenA homosexual act between two consenting men in private is not an offence if both parties have attained the age of 21 years. Sexual intercourse with a girl below the age of 16 years is an offence. Below that age a girl cannot in law give any consent which would prevent a lesbian act from being charged as an indecent assault.
We have no plans at all to amend the law in this area.