Clause 1 - Application of Part V of theCare Standards Act 2000
Children's Commissioner for Wales Bill
11:30 am
Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan, Labour)
We have had an interesting discussion on the amendments, but we must be careful. We want the Children's Commissioner in Wales to work. That should be our over-riding objective. There is a danger in making the Children's Commissioner a catch-all for everything. We as politicians may be happy that we have created this role, but it may not have the desired effect.
One of the interesting things about making legislation is its unintended consequences. It is far better to have a carefully thought out role for the commissioner that works, even if the commissioner is accused of being limited in power. We have carefully defined the relationship with the Welsh Assembly. We have carefully defined the commissioner's role as regards devolved functions. The stature and credibility of the commissioner succeed all the more because we have thought through that role. That is a much better approach than making the commissioner responsible for all aspects of children's lives—for example, as they impinge on the military, the judicial and penal system and cross-border difficulties. Dealing with everything may well sound good, but a commissioner with limited resources might not be able to carry out all the required functions properly.
A much better solution is to agree with the sentiments and principles expressed, but to stick in practice to a clearly defined role. In Wales, the most horrendous cases of child abuse have taken place in the devolved sector. A commissioner with the resources and authority to intervene and speak out on matters for which he has a clear responsibility will have a far greater impact than a commissioner who comments on almost everything that touches on children's lives. The commissioner's role is likely to be empowered in future through further legislation. Perhaps a commissioner with even greater powers will one day be established in England.