§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local authorities have applied to introduce a local child curfew; and if he will make a statement. [58457]
§ Mr. BoatengLocal child curfews are a new provision which will help a local authority develop its community safety strategy. The aim of such curfews is twofold. They will address the need to prevent young children from being drawn into anti-social or criminal behaviour, and they will protect communities from the misery and distress which can be caused by groups of unsupervised children.
The power of local authorities to make a local child curfew scheme is an enabling one. It only came into force on 30 September 1998. Not surprisingly, therefore, no applications for local child curfew schemes have been received so far.