The age of consent

Sir, – It makes no sense that the attorney general in 1993 felt that introducing the same age of consent for gay and heterosexual people could lead to a “backlash” (State Papers, December 27th). I suspect that it also made little sense in 1993.

This debate highlights the woolly thinking that takes place in legal circles around the age of consent and majority. At the age of 17 we can have sex, get married legally, and so before 18 years of age we are considered old enough to be a responsible parent yet not senior enough to vote in an election. We are not allowed to join the Army and die for our country until we are 18 years of age, but we are allowed to give consent for undergoing major surgery at the age of 16 without regard to the wishes of our parents. We cannot drive a car until we are 17, but we can use the most dangerous vehicle of all, a motorcycle, a year earlier.

I wonder would the current attorney general take a look at these glaring inconsistencies and suggest to the Government that they be corrected? – Yours, etc,

PAVEL MARIANSKI,