Clause 7 - Co-operation to improve well-being
Children Bill [Lords]
10:00 am
Dr Stephen Ladyman (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Health; South Thanet, Labour)
The hon. Lady has just made my point for me. The Bill, as it stands, encompasses pupil referral units. That is implicit in the wider duties specified in the Bill, and there is no need to name every single partner.
In supporting the amendments, the hon. Lady made the point that we should try to think of every possible partner and include them in the Bill. We disagree on that. I do not believe that it is necessary to take that
approach; it is better to try to create a network of support for all the partners through the inspection and other improvement processes that are in place. I agree with her that it is necessary to ensure that all the partners work together on the agenda, but I do not agree that they need to be included in the Bill.
All schools already have a welfare duty for all their pupils, so it is not necessary for any particular group of pupils to be specified in the Bill, as proposed in new clause 17.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 7, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.