The Secretary of State may make regulations specifying scientific methods that may be used for the purposes of age assessments under section 50 or 51.
The types of scientific method that may be specified include methods involving—
A method may not be specified in regulations under subsection (1) unless the Secretary of State determines, after having sought scientific advice, that the method is appropriate for assessing a person’s age.
A specified scientific method may be used for the purposes of an age assessment under section 50 or 51 only if the appropriate consent is given.
The appropriate consent is—
Subsection (7) applies where—
In deciding whether to believe any statement made by or on behalf of the age-disputed person that is relevant to the assessment of their age, the decision-maker must take into account, as damaging the age-disputed person’s credibility (or the credibility of a person who has made a statement on their behalf), the decision not to consent to the use of the specified scientific method.
Regulations under this section are subject to affirmative resolution procedure.
This section does not prevent the use of a scientific method that is not a specified scientific method for the purposes of an age assessment under section 50 or 51 if the decision-maker considers it appropriate to do so and, where necessary, the appropriate consent is given.