Question follow-through · 10288

Offenders: Age Assurance

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how is the age of an offender determined by the courts; and are any scientific age assessments used.

answeredMinistry of Justice

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body
Ministry of Justice
Tabled
16 Jun 2026
Target answer date
18 Jun 2026
Answer
24 Jun 2026 · 8 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

More questions by this MP on Justice and policing

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Recorded timeline

  1. 16 Jun 2026

    Question tabled

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how is the age of an offender determined by the courts; and are any scientific age assessments used.

  2. 18 Jun 2026

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 24 Jun 2026

    Answer published

    Where an offender’s age is in doubt in criminal proceedings, the court must determine age on the basis of the available evidence. In practice, this may include an adjournment so that an age assessment can be carried out.Where documentary evidence is not a...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

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