Clause 2 - General function
Children Bill [Lords]
4:45 pm
Mrs Margaret Hodge (Minister of State (Children), Department for Education and Skills; Barking, Labour)
It is in the nature of devolution that there will be different ways in which we do our business. That is its strength and joy, and that is why I support it as the hon. Gentleman undoubtedly does himself. When we discuss the Welsh clauses, we will discuss at length how to ensure that there is no confusion for individual children in Wales as to how they proceed. Settlements are different. For example, the Scottish commissioner does not look at individual complaints in the way that the Welsh commissioner does. The Government's view is that with 11.3 million children in England, we do not want the English commissioner to examine individual complaints.
For non-devolved matters, Welsh children will have a series of mechanisms through which they can pursue their individual rights and complaints, as they currently do. My understanding from the Under-Secretary of State for Wales is that the current system
works; children are not perceived as being confused and they are directed to the appropriate mechanism. Under the current system, Welsh children cannot pursue individual complaints through the Welsh commissioner for non-devolved issues.