Clause 14
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill [Lords]
1:30 pm
Ivan Lewis (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Health; Bury South, Labour)
That is a matter of judgment. That is what Government and Opposition spokespersons do all the time—they make judgments on difficult matters. One of the arguments that we always hear from the Opposition parties is that we need to allow people working on the front line of public services, at the sharp end, to make more judgments and use more discretion, with fewer centrally imposed diktats and instructions. Now we have had serious discussions with the Prison Service and the probation service, and they have provided us with examples of why we should adopt an approach that allows risk assessments. They have persuaded us, and we ought to accept that their assessment of the situation is correct.
I hope that I have reassured hon. Members as to why we have reached our judgments on the different circumstances in question. On the question of housing, it is a matter of phasing in over a period of time. There is no difference of substance between us.
On the question of probation service and Prison Service workers, some of the concerns expressed by the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole have been allayed as a consequence of my contribution.