Adoption and Children Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 3:30 pm on 23 October 2002.

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Photo of Lord Campbell of Alloway Lord Campbell of Alloway Conservative 3:30, 23 October 2002

My Lords, I support all the amendments in the group for reasons that I have given at some length previously, both in Grand Committee and on Report. I support both their spirit and substance. The problem is, what is to be done? The Lord Chancellor is concerned that adequate regulations should be made. I am not certain he is totally satisfied that on an objective review they could not be improved.

Few regimes cannot be improved if one takes another look at them in the light of these amendments. Without being at all critical, I would not say that the present structure of the regulations is perfect or that it ever could be, but it could perhaps be improved.

Once it has been improved, there is still the question of whether the regulations are being applied. That is a problem under the existing structure. It is possible that the Lord Chancellor could take steps to seek to ensure, when he has revised the regulations, that they are more regularly applied in the courts. I look for a sympathetic response from the Minister.