Work and Families Bill

I and my noble friend Lord Razzall added our names to these amendments and we very much support them. I will not repeat everything that the noble Baroness has just said, but I would point out to the Minister that if he is thinking about the word cost, as he was in the previous amendment, the numbers here are really very small. We are not talking about a large amount of money but it will make a great difference to those children. The benefits are enormous. Concurrent planning is best practice. If we are going to be able to spread that best practice wider than the pilot schemes that are currently under way, what we do not want is for fostering or adoptive parents to be put off by the fact that they are not entitled to the sorts of support that these amendments would like to give them. It is the last thing we want to do. Ninety per cent of these schemes have already been successful and led to adoptions. This has given vulnerable infants a great deal more security and one less move, which is highly desirable because they stay with the same family. That is an enormous benefit to these particularly vulnerable children. There are not many of them so there is not a lot of cost. I hope the Minister can accept the amendments.