Further supplementary memorandum submitted
by Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MBE MP, Minister of State for Children,
Young People and Families
When I gave evidence about the Children Bill
before the Education and Skills Committee on 9 June our discussions
included the remit of the Children's Commissioner and his proposed
reporting arrangements to Parliament. I also promised to write
to you to clarify an issue that we discussed regarding the current
reporting arrangements for Ofsted. I shall refer to the question
numbers in the transcript of the session.
In questions 74-79 of the evidence session you
asked why the Children's Commissioner would not report to Parliament
directly, rather than through the Secretary of State. You also
used the example of Ofsted reporting directly to Parliament through
the Education and Skills Committee, whilst my understanding was
that Ofsted reported to Parliament through the Secretary of State
for Education. I undertook to research and consider the matter
further, which I have now done.
I have examined the arrangements for publishing
reports on a variety of public bodies. While organisations such
as the Electoral Commission and the National Audit Office do both
report directly to Parliament, most other bodies do not, including
Ofsted, for which the annual report currently goes to Parliament
via the Secretary of State. Other independent bodies that report
via the Secretary of State include the Police Complaints Commissioner
and the Commissioner for Racial Equality, which both have at least
equal sensitivity to that of the Children's Commissioner and require
a high measure of visible independence from possible Government
interference. I have also considered the position of the other
UK Children's Commissioners and their reporting arrangements.
Only the Scottish Commissioner reports direct to Parliament alone;
the others have also to report to their First Minister. I am therefore,
satisfied that the normal procedures are appropriate for a body
such as the Children's Commissioner to be established as a Non-Departmental
Public Body and to report to Parliament through the Secretary
of State. I see no reason why this should compromise the Commissioner's
independence. I will, however, consider very carefully whether
additional safeguards could be provided to ensure that the Secretary
of State is not able to unduly delay the laying of a report before
Parliament.
10 September 2004
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