MSPS back rise in age of criminal responsibility

Legislation to raise the age of criminal responsibility in Scotland to 12 has been approved in principle at Holyrood, despite some MSPS calling on ministers to go further.

Scotland has one of the lowest ages of criminal responsibility in the world at eight years old.

The Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Bill unanimously passed its first stage at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.

But Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-hamilton complained progress in increasing the age has been made at a “snail’s pace”.

The Scottish Lib Dems have called for the age to be raised further to 16, which is the case in countries such as Portugal, Lithuania and Luxembourg. Mr Cole-hamilton said: “I don’t think its unreasonable to suggest that this government arguably lied to the United Nations.

The UN set a floor of 12 as the minimum age of criminal responsibility to be adopted no later than 2007 and for countries to work upwards from that point. Three parliaments have sat and risen from this chamber since that international starting gun was fired – only now has this government finally brought our country to the races.”

He said while the Lib Dems backed the Bill it was “with a sense of disappointment”.

Scottish Conservative MSP Oliver Mundell urged the Scottish Government to progress with caution.