Clause 2 - General function
Children Bill [Lords]
4:15 pm
Mr Hywel Williams (Spokesperson (Disability; Health; Social Security; Work and Pensions); Caernarfon, Plaid Cymru)
I beg to move amendment No. 193, in
clause 2, page 2, line 16, at end insert—
'(d) Ensure that direct services provided to children by the commissioner or his staff, whether formally or informally is provided in the language of the intended recipients.'.
The amendment relates to the Children's Commissioner's duties under the clause, which includes those set out the newly amended subsection (3)(a), which we have just discussed. The amendment draws attention to the language issue—as hon. Members know by now, I have an interest in the language issue in Wales.
A great deal is wrapped up in the wording of the amendment. The relevant legislation is the Welsh Language Act 1993, which requires public bodies to teach Welsh and English on the basis of equality, in so far as that is reasonably practical and appropriate. That is the injunction of the 1993 Act. Many public bodies do that through the medium of language schemes, which the Welsh Language Board approves.
It is right that the provisions that relate to the commissioner's general functions in dealing with children should deal with language. That would reflect current best practice in Wales, which takes account of the language preferences of the recipients of public services. Not all public services go down that route, but the best do and give primacy to the wishes of the user, client or, in this case, the child. I am sorry to use an old social work expression, but the services start where the client is, rather than where the service is, and with trying to tailor those services to the language wishes of the child.