Speeches by Chowns.

“Will the Minister respond directly to the thrust of amendment 49? The Bill is shifting from a position where the consideration of family group decision making is already encouraged to a statutory requirement before starting care proceedings. Amendment 49 asks for a mirroring of that at the potential end of care proceed…”

“Professor Dawson, we have already touched on the issue of needing to protect existing infrastructure from that moving goalpost of the increasing problem of flooding. We also have an issue, which I think you have mentioned, about the new infrastructure we are building now. Are we making sure it is sufficiently flood res…”

“Professor Dawson, we have already touched on the issue of needing to protect existing infrastructure from that moving goalpost of the increasing problem of flooding. We also have an issue, which I think you have mentioned, about the new infrastructure we are building now. Are we making sure it is sufficiently flood res…”

“I cannot resist the temptation to chip in on this line of commentary, I suppose, because of two things that happen in my constituency, which is frequently subject to flooding. One is that, in order to get grants from the Government schemes, people have to demonstrate that they have applied every year for insurance and …”

“I cannot resist the temptation to chip in on this line of commentary, I suppose, because of two things that happen in my constituency, which is frequently subject to flooding. One is that, in order to get grants from the Government schemes, people have to demonstrate that they have applied every year for insurance and …”

“Q You have enthused about family group decision making. Do you think it would be useful at other stages in the process, particularly in approaching families for unification at the point of discharge for care leavers? Dr Homden: Yes, we would support that. We would also call for specific coverage in the statutory guidan…”

“Q You would like to see that too. Jacky Tiotto: Yes.”

“Q Because that is missing from this Bill. Jacky Tiotto: Yes, it is. I have worked with many children who are terrified of the cliff edge of 18; in fact, they start worrying about it at 16. It often blights the last few years of their care.”

“Q Or even beyond 21. Jacky Tiotto: Well, yes.”

“Q What would you like to see, ideally? Jacky Tiotto: The provision mandated to 21, everywhere. I will probably be shot for saying that—”

“Q And Staying Close? Jacky Tiotto: Again, another welcome introduction and formalisation. CAFCASS is involved with 25,000 children a year in public law proceedings. It would be nice if the drafters could require CAFCASS—at the end of proceedings, in its closing letter to the independent reviewing officer—to say, “We th…”

“Q What about the idea of expanding Staying Put in addition to the expansion of Staying Close? Jacky Tiotto: All good. It is the same thing.”

“Q So you would like to see the Bill amended in that way? Lynn Perry: We would.”

“Q To follow up a little, do you think the Bill does enough to centre the voices of children ? You have talked particularly about that in terms of family decision making, but are there other aspects of the Bill where you would like to see amendments made? Jacky Tiotto: Deprivation of liberty, definitely. May I say somet…”

“Could you elaborate on that? Julie McCulloch: Happily. We would like to see the expansion up to 18—at the moment, it goes up to only 16 —and we would like to see it expanded to all children in families receiving universal credit. Paul Whiteman: We are in a similar position. We absolutely accept the evidence that well-f…”

“Q The Bill talks about breakfast clubs, but says nothing about free school meals more widely. Would you like to see an expansion of eligibility for free school meals? Julie McCulloch: We would.”

“Q Clause 8 specifies that local authorities need to set out a local offer. You have talked about the need to avoid fragmentation, and about corporate responsibility across the country and across Departments. Would you like to see the Bill amended to require a national offer of support to care leavers, and what do you t…”

“Q Lynn, what is your view on the fact that the Bill does not contain provisions to give children equal protection from violence to adults? Lynn Perry: We think that this is an opportunity for that to be addressed in legislation. As a charity that works across the devolved nations, we have obviously seen change in other…”

“Q On balance, do you welcome the provisions in the Bill to ensure that all schools follow the national curriculum? Lee Owston: Obviously there is a review, from Professor Becky Francis, of what the national curriculum will contain, and we are speaking frequently with members of that review. From an inspector’s position…”

“I have been listening carefully to what the Minister has said. Does he agree that a vote on Second Reading is a vote on the principle of the Bill, and the objections that he has been raising are micro, technical ones? Does he not agree that the urgency of the climate crisis and the immense benefits associated with sola…”