Children Bill [HL]

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 9:30 pm on 4 May 2004.

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Photo of Baroness Ashton of Upholland Baroness Ashton of Upholland Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare), Department for Education and Skills, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare), Department for Work and Pensions, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions) (Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare) (also Department for Education and Science), Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education and Skills) (Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare) (also Department for Work and Pensions) 9:30, 4 May 2004

I sympathise with much of the thinking that lies behind the amendments in this interesting group. It is very important that the commissioner is effective in promoting the views and interests of children, consulting as widely as possible and having a broad vision of what constitutes their needs and interests. Noble Lords have raised many different concerns about the coverage and nature of that role which is, in a sense, what binds the amendments together.

I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Hylton, that the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, has raised an important point in Amendment No. 11A, which would ensure that the provision extends to service families overseas. Amendment No. 23, in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Walmsley, would ensure that the commissioner's role covers all children. There is a separate group of amendments on the role of the commissioner in relation to children with particular needs, to which the noble Baroness alluded. We will no doubt discuss the particular needs of those children on another occasion.

I begin by assuring the Committee that the commissioner will indeed be the champion of all children, be they the children of service families living abroad, the children of families seeking asylum in the UK, children who are looked after or those who go to the local school, nearest to where they were born. The commissioner's role will extend to all children. It is my understanding that the Bill's wording encompasses all children, but I will take that away and see whether inserting "all" adds anything to our deliberations, which I believe the noble Baroness and the noble Lord, Lord Rix, want me to say. However, noble Lords can rest assured that the wording of the Bill covers all children. There are no exceptions; noble Lords would not wish it otherwise, and neither would I.

I am also very grateful for the detailed attention that noble Lords have paid to the way in which the commissioner carries out his or her role. Amendment No. 16 states that the commissioner should be able to sit on bodies that affect children—something of concern to the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay—and could be a consultee in inquiries or aspects of work carried out by other organisations or bodies.

Amendment No. 21, along with Amendment No. 18 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, aims to allow the commissioner to support research and pilot projects. Amendment No. 41, also in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, seeks to ensure that the commissioner can promote discussion and express views across the whole of his or her remit. This relates to Amendment No. 19, to which the noble Earl, Lord Howe, spoke; it seeks assurance that the commissioner will advise and consult with all government departments on matters relating to children.

I agree with them all. The commissioner should be able to do these things, assuming that this is what children want the commissioner to do. The commissioner's job is to be responsive to and face children in all the work that he or she undertakes. There is nothing to stop the commissioner doing the things that I have identified. I hope that with those reassurances, the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, will feel able to withdraw his amendment.