Vote Bundle Text (941008-08)

Amendments proposed to the Children Bill [Lords] - continued	House of Commons

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Appeals procedure

Tim Loughton
Mrs Eleanor Laing
Mr David Ruffley

NC4

To move the following Clause—

'The Secretary of State shall establish an appeals procedure by which individuals referred to on the database (explicitly or implicitly) in respect of a child whose case has been referred to that database may challenge the inclusion of information.'.

Co-operation with other bodies: Wales

Tim Loughton
Mrs Eleanor Laing
Mr David Ruffley

NC5

To move the following Clause—

'(1) This section applies to each of the following—

(a) those persons or bodies to which section 23 applies

(b) the governing body and head teacher of a maintained school, an academy or an independent school

(d) registered social landlords.

(2) Each person and body to whom this section applies shall—

(a) co-operate with other such persons and bodies to whom this section applies; and

(b) ensure that any person providing services pursuant to arrangements made by the person or body in the discharge of their functions co-operates with other such persons and bodies to whom this section applies,

so as to improve the well-being of children and ensure that the welfare of children is safeguarded and promoted.'.

Relationship between Commissioners

Tim Loughton
Mrs Eleanor Laing
Mr David Ruffley
Mr Hilton Dawson
Annette Brooke
Mr Phil Willis

Mr Roger Williams

NC6

To move the following Clause:—

'( ) The Children's Commissioner shall consult and work together with—

(a) the Children's Commissioner for Wales, the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland and the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Northern Ireland on matters concerning children's rights and interests throughout the United Kingdom; and

(b) the appropriate Commissioner or Commissioners on matters concerning children's rights and interests which appear to affect children in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland in addition to England, unless the matter relates principally to events or circumstances in England.'.

Relationship between Commissioners (No. 2)

Julie Morgan
Hywel Williams

NC7

To move the following Clause:—

'The Children's Commissioner shall consult and work together with—

Promotion of awareness of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Mr Hilton Dawson

NC8

To move the following Clause:—

'Each Children's Service Authority in England must make arrangements to ensure that the principles and provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child are widely known to—

(a) members and staff of the authority;

(b) members and staff of the authority's relevant partners; and

Children's Services in England

Mr Hilton Dawson
Annette Brooke
Mr Phil Willis
Mr Roger Williams

NC9

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) Where a children's services authority is a county council it must publish a plan for the devolution of co-operative arrangements to improve the well-being of children in the authority's area to district or primary care trust level.

(2) This devolved plan shall be reviewed every 4 years and the results of that review published.'.

Protection of children involved in prostitution

Mr Hilton Dawson
Hywel Williams

NC10

To move the following Clause:—

'In section 1(1) of the Street Offences Act 1959 (c. 57) (which makes it an offence for a common prostitute to loiter or solicit for the purpose of prostitution) before "to loiter" insert "aged 18 or over".'.

National minimum fostering allowance

Mr Hilton Dawson
Annette Brooke
Mr Phil Willis
Hywel Williams
Mr Roger Williams

NC11

To move the following Clause:—

'The Government will by regulations establish a national minimum fostering allowance payable by all Children's Services Authorities in England.'.

Further action following report on formal investigation (No. 2)

Annette Brooke
Mr Phil Willis
Mr Roger Williams
Hywel Williams

NC12

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) Where the Children's Commissioner has made a report under section 4 which contains a recommendation as to action to be taken by a relevant body, the Commissioner may by notice require that body to provide the Commissioner within 3 months of the date of the notice with—

(a) such information as will enable the Children's Commissioner to determine whether the body has complied with the recommendation or will be complying with it; or

(b) a statement of the body's reason for not complying with the recommendation.

(2) A notice under subsection (1) shall include a statement that a failure by the body to respond within the period mentioned in that paragraph may be published in such manner as the Children's Commissioner considers appropriate.

(3) If, on receipt of a response from the body, the Children's Commissioner considers that—

(a) the action taken or proposed to be taken by the body to comply with the recommendation is inadequate; or

(b) the body's reason for not complying with the recommendation is inadequate, the Commissioner may send to the body concerned a further notice setting out the inadequacy and requiring the body to reconsider the matter and respond within one month of the date of the notice.

(4) A notice under subsection (3) shall include a statement that a failure by the body—

(a) to provide what the Children's Commissioner considers to be a satisfactory response; or

(b) to provide any response within the period mentioned in that subsection, may be published in such manner as the Children's Commissioner considers appropriate.

(5) The Children's Commissioner shall maintain a register containing details of—

(a) recommendations (together with the reasons for them) contained in reports made under section 4;

(b) action taken by the Children's Commissioner under subsections (1) and (3); and

(6) Any register maintained under subsection (5) shall be open to inspection by any person at all reasonable times at the offices of the Children's Commissioner and the Commissioner may make arrangements for copies of the register to be available for inspection in such other place or places or by such other means as he considers appropriate.

(7) The Children's Commissioner shall publish those arrangements in such a way as to bring them to the attention of persons likely to be interested.

(8) The Children's Commissioner shall monitor two years after an entry in the register has been made the actions taken by the body in relation to the matters giving rise to the entry on the register.'.

Consistency of legislation with the UNCRC and children's well-being

Mr Hilton Dawson
Annette Brooke
Mr Phil Willis
Mr Roger Williams
Hywel Williams

NC13

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) A Minister of the Crown in charge of a Bill in either House of Parliament must, before Second Reading of the Bill—

(a) make a statement to the effect that the provisions of the Bill have been assessed for their compatibility with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and their contribution to the well-being of children, relating to the aspects specified in subsection (7)(a) to (e), and that, in his view, the provisions of the Bill do not act to the detriment of any child or group of children in respect of those aspects; and

(b) make available in each Library of the Houses of Parliament a copy of the assessment made under subsection (1)(a), or

(c) make a statement to the effect that although he is unable to make a statement under subsection (1)(a) the Government nevertheless wishes the House to proceed with the Bill.

(2) The statement must be in writing and be published in such manner as the Minister making it considers appropriate.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a), the aspects of children's well-being are—

(a) physical and mental health;

(b) protection from harm and neglect;

(d) the contribution made by them to society;

(e) emotional, social and economic well-being.'.

Equal opportunities

Julie Morgan
Hywel Williams

NC14

To move the following Clause:—

'Without prejudice to the other provisions of this Act, Children's Services Authorities in Wales and their relevant partners shall have regard to combating social exclusion and discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.'.

Children's services in Wales: principles

Julie Morgan
Hywel Williams

NC15

To move the following Clause:—

'In the delivery of children's services in Wales, Children's Services Authorities and their relevant partners specified in section 21 shall have regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.'.