Age of Criminal Responsibility Bill [HL]

Key Points

• Aims to raise the age of criminal responsibility to a higher level than today.
• Intended to change how very young children are treated by the justice system, with more focus on welfare or educational responses instead of criminal prosecutions.
• Originated in the Lords and is currently at the second reading in the Lords.
• Includes connected provisions to implement the change across related laws and procedures.
• First reading occurred in January 2013, indicating a long-standing proposal that has not yet progressed beyond the second reading in the Lords.

Progress

The proposal began in the Lords and is presently at the second reading stage in the Lords. There is no record provided here of further stages or votes.