After section 33 of the 1988 Act there shall be inserted the following section—

“33A Evidence given by children.

(1)

A child’s evidence in criminal proceedings shall be given unsworn.

(2)

A deposition of a child’s unsworn evidence may be taken for the purposes of criminal proceedings as if that evidence had been given on oath.

(3)

In this section “child” means a person under fourteen years of age.”