Cathy Jamieson, the justice minister, is threatening to withhold up to £64 million in funding earmarked to tackle youth crime if councils and the police refuse to introduce anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) for under 16-year-olds.

Ms Jamieson said yesterday that local agencies would be failing young people if they ruled out introducing the controversial measures which form a central part of the Executive's flagship law and order programme.