§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the Government's policy on offenders who commit offences against children. [150569]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe Government believe those who offend against children should be dealt with severely by the courts and appropriate action taken to prevent their re-offending. Recent measures include the provisions in Part II of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 to prevent people who commit serious offences 255W against children from subsequently working with them; to raise the penalties for the offence of possession of child pornography to five years' imprisonment or an unlimited fine or both, and for the making and distributing of child pornography to 10 years' imprisonment or an unlimited fine or both; and to raise the age limit for the offence of indecent conduct towards a child to protect children up to 16. All these measures came into force on 11 January 2001. They form part of a programme of work we have undertaken to increase protection for children from those who may harm them.