THE HAGUE, 31/01/08 - The minimum age for legal prostitution may go up from 18 to 21. Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin will have the desirability of this measure investigated.

In The Hague, sex bosses themselves have raised the prostitution age to 21 to prevent young girls running into problems. Party for Freedom (PVV) MP Fleur Agema praised that initiative and asked the minister last November to raise the legal age.

PVV's plan was earlier rejected by the Lower House. But prostitution 'capital' Amsterdam has meanwhile supported raising the minimum age. "The nature of the profession demands a certain degree of maturity and a higher age goes with this," the city council executive believes.

Christian democratic (CDA) Minister Hirsch Ballin announced yesterday he would consider the measure as part of a "package of measures" whereby the cabinet wants to tackle prostitution more stringently. Youth and Family Minister Andre Rouvoet is also positive on the PVV proposal. Prostitution has been a legal profession in the Netherlands since 2000.