New Clause 30 - Parental compensation orders

Part of Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 6:30 pm on 20 January 2005.

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Photo of Hazel Blears Hazel Blears Minister of State (Home Office) (Policing, Security and Community Safety), Member, Labour Party National Executive Committee 6:30, 20 January 2005

I beg to move, that the Clause be read a Second time.

I do not know whether Liberal Democrat Members have any comments to make on the new clause, but I simply wanted to say that my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Brightside gave an undertaking that we would introduce it at this stage. Basically, it proposes a compensation order in cases, so that parents of children under 10 can be ordered to pay compensation if their children have stolen or damaged property.

There are about 4,000 cases every year in which children under 10 cause significant damage, and we want to ensure that the courts can take action in those circumstances. They will take into account parental means and can make orders to pay compensation by instalments. Of course, it will always be necessary to consider the views of the victim, but the likely effect on the child and their family circumstances will also be taken into account. Often, orders will be taken in conjunction with intervention programmes to try to ensure that the behaviour is not repeated. Therefore an order is not simply a punishment; it is also a way of ensuring that parents take responsibility for the children's behaviour and that we limit the damage done to other families.