Vox Pop - Should the age of consent, currently 16, be lowered?

NO - Simon Blake, chief executive, Brook

The age of consent should remain at 16. Young people tell us that it supports their negotiations to delay sexual activity and provides them with legal protection. However, it's vital that safeguards are in place to ensure young people who engage in consensual sexual activity when they are under 16 are not criminalised. Under-16s must also have access to confidential contraceptive and sexual health services that they feel confident using.

YES - Dr. Matthew Waites, senior sociology lecturer, University of Glasgow, and author of The Age of Consent

The framing of the debate is perhaps part of the problem, since this tends to focus entirely on whether to allow adults to have sex with under-16s, rather than on addressing most of young people's sexual activity, which is with other young people. I argue for introducing "age-span provisions", as exist in other countries, so that young people over 14 would not be criminalised for sexual activity with other young people over 14 but less than two years older. This might facilitate more young people being open about what they are doing and hence receiving education and health assistance.