Clause 9

Part of Offender Management Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 2:30 pm on 18 January 2007.

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Photo of Gerry Sutcliffe Gerry Sutcliffe The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department 2:30, 18 January 2007

I want to pursue the point. If the amendment were accepted and the tests were not stringent, one might end up with someone who was not properly qualified. If we suppose that what my hon. Friend fears happens and the private sector runs all the approved premises estate, somebody approved on the basis of the 2001 Act might still not have the required skills to be able to deal with approved premises. The provider could claim that that person was okay because they had got through on the 2001 Act. I think that the amendment devalues the role of the person who works in approved premises, because it says that somebody with a lesser qualification could have that role.