Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Written evidence submitted by the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) (CWSB193)

Clerk, Public Bill Committee – Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill  

The RPC was formed in 2009 as an independent ad hoc advisory body (now an NDPB) to provide the Government with advice on the quality of the analysis and evidence supporting new regulation.  Its purpose is to provide scrutiny of the evidence and analysis underpinning new regulatory proposals, including different policy options, while not commenting on government policy.  It helps to ensure that regulation is made for the right reasons and is proportionate to the risk and scale of the problem being addressed.

This submission relates to the RPC’s opinion following its independent scrutiny of the impact assessments (IAs) supporting the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.  The IA was not published until 30 January - following a point of order (on the floor of HC on 28 January), and deep into the PBC’s consideration of the Bill.  The RPC regrets not being able to submit this written evidence earlier but, nevertheless, considers that its opinion of the IAs (issued to the Government on 31 January, and published on 3 February 2025) may still be of interest to the PBC. 

The RPC’s published opinion can be found here:

  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessment-rpc-opinion-green-rated

The opinion is lengthy, but a brief summary of it is included in the text covering the above publication.  RPC statements about the IAs having been submitted ‘late’ for RPC scrutiny have also been published.  They may be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-late-submission-of-impact-assessments

The RPC hopes that this is of assistance to the PBC, and stands ready to answer any questions that you and/or your committee may have.

RPC secretariat

February 2025