Clause 2 - General function
Children Bill [Lords]
4:00 pm
Mrs Margaret Hodge (Minister of State (Children), Department for Education and Skills; Barking, Labour)
Well, there we are. I am grateful for my hon. Friend's extremely helpful intervention. I simply say that I, and probably other members of the Committee too, cannot imagine being an effective
commissioner without having regard to parents, who are the most important people in a child's life. However, we want the commissioner to remain independent, taking his or her own decisions about whom to consult. That is where we divide.