PROTECTION OF CHILDREN

Early day motion 300, tabled 6 February 2001 by Alice Mahon (Labour). Signed by 70 members.

That this House condemns the publishers, Planet Three Publishing for launching a new magazine Mad About Boys, aimed at 9 to 12 year olds; congratulates Dr Michelle Elliott, the director of Kidscape, a child protection charity, who says 'to design a magazine to bring out the sexuality of young girls is enormously irresponsible, by encouraging young girls to be sexual not only opens them up to the possibility of older boys taking advantage of them, but could also open them up to the attention of paedophiles'; further condemns the magazine for encouraging girls as young as nine to diet; and believes that it is wrong to push children towards sexualised behaviour and worrying about being thin when they should be enjoying childhood.

Signatures by party: Labour 51, Liberal Democrat 12, Labour/Co-operative 5, Plaid Cymru 1, UUP 1.