New Clause 3 - Right of Commissioner to comment on court decisions
Children's Commissioner for Wales Bill
5:15 pm
Mr David Hanson (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Welsh Office; Delyn, Labour)
I hope that can reassure my hon. Friend. There are two distinct roles: the care standards inspectorate is responsible for inspection and has the right of access to premises; that is its distinct role, whereas the Children's Commissioner is responsible for broad areas. For example, if the care standards inspectorate chooses not to make an inspection, the Children's Commissioner can, using his jurisdiction as the person responsible for such issues, comment and report on that failure to carry out an inspection; he can also encourage the carrying out of inspections. However, there is a distinct difference between the day-to-day responsibilities of the inspectorate and the commissioner. Although my hon. Friend's probing amendment would allow the commissioner to have that right of access, it is, in fact, part of the general division of labour in terms of child protection.