THERE has been a lot spoken of the shock decision by three teenage London girls to travel through Turkey so as to join Islamic State.

Most readers will remember the day when children under the age of 18 were listed on one of their parents’ passport if they wanted to travel; they could not travel without the parent.

Now, in this progressive world, all children, whatever the age, if they wish to leave these shores have to have their own passport.

Questions have been asked about how they could have been prevented, with the implication that it was immigration/UK government/Turkish government’s responsibility to have stopped them.

As the girls were still of an age to be the parents’ responsibility, would it not have been easy for the parents to have their passports under their control, locked away.

It is not wise to prompt a government to interfere with a UK national’s right to travel, unless that is, that is now a crime.

John Graham, Dalmally Close, Acomb Park, York.