Clause 9 - Information databases
Children Bill [Lords]
2:30 pm
Mrs Margaret Hodge (Minister of State (Children), Department for Education and Skills; Barking, Labour)
Finally, I shall deal briefly with two other matters. First, I agree that the information must be accurate, but to include the source of the information, as proposed in amendment No. 225,
tabled by the hon. Member for Isle of Wight, would be a bureaucratic nightmare. The identity of the person who raised the cause of concern would be included, but not the source of the complaint. For example, if a child's name and address was obtained from a health authority, the fact that the name and address was thus obtained would not need to be entered on to the database.
Secondly, I understand, as do all hon. Members present, that practitioners need a clear understanding of what we want them to do. We will, of course, need to explain the detail in regulations and in guidance on how that aspect—the causes of concern—of the databases will work. That is why we are preparing the consultation paper and why we will subject the regulations to the affirmative procedure. We will take the public consultation exercise seriously; we want to hear what the professionals say and will have regard to that as we prepare the regulations for consideration by hon. Members. I hope that those final words of comfort will persuade hon. Members not to press their amendments.