The age of criminal responsibility in Scotland is to be raised from eight to 12, ministers have confirmed.

It will bring Scotland into line with most of Europe, but the Scottish Government said the rise would not mean "letting off" younger offenders. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said it was more appropriate to deal with them in the children's hearings system. The minimum age at which a child can be charged and brought before a court is 10 in the rest of the UK.

The proposals form part of wide-ranging justice reforms being brought forward by the Holyrood government. The forthcoming Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill, if passed, would also end a law allowing "unruly" teenagers who have not been convicted of an offence to be put behind bars. The move was welcomed by police, justice and prison officials, although the Conservatives opposed plans to raise the age, while Labour raised further concerns. The age of criminal responsibility in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 10, although the UK Government is facing calls for an increase, most recently from Rod Morgan, the former head of the Youth Justice Board.