Children and Adoption Bill [HL]

I rise briefly to make, if I may, a little corrective. I know that the noble Earl, Lord Howe, has been very careful in discussing the difference between non-resident and resident parents, and I am aware that he made clear to us that he is generalising when he describes resident parents as mothers for the most part. By making that corrective, I simply reiterate that the resident parent can be the father, and I am sure that that is what the noble Earl meant. I need hardly say that, perhaps, but I feel it might be useful. My second point relates to the difficulties to which the noble Earl, Lord Howe, referred—the cheese sauce and so on. He also referred to a number of other instances earlier in the Grand Committee. There has not been much reference so far to the problems caused when a non-resident parent does not turn up to collect the child on a weekend or when he arrives and there is a smell of alcohol on his breath. It hardly needs to be said, but I remind the Grand Committee that we need always to keep a balanced picture. I hope that is helpful.