Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 102:"Page 8, line 33, leave out paragraph (a)." The noble Baroness said: In moving Amendment No. 102, I shall speak also to Amendment No. 105. Amendment No. 102 refers to Clause 14, which provides for exemptions in relation to monitoring checks made by certain regulated activity providers. The list includes complementary or alternative therapists. I have been approached by the Parkinson’s Disease Society, which is concerned that employers in these areas are excluded from the requirements to check their employees. That goes against the spirit of the legislation. The society believes it is important that people with Parkinson’s should be able to access complementary and alternative therapy services and that they should be afforded the same level of protection as that given to those accessing other health services. It is clear that many people with Parkinson’s disease have an interest in accessing such services. A 2003 survey of more than 2,000 members conducted by the PDS complementary therapy working group found that 65 per cent of members declared their interest in complementary therapy. No form of complementary medicine can cure Parkinson’s disease, but for some people it can help to ease the symptoms of, and help them to cope with, the condition. I refer to a range of therapies such as the Alexander technique, massage, yoga and so on. The society believes it is vital that people accessing such services are afforded a level of protection equal to that given to those accessing other health services, and it would therefore like to remove such services from the exemptions. Similarly, we have tabled Amendment No. 105 because we see no reason why the arrangements for children should be tighter than those for vulnerable adults. As I said earlier, Clause 14 details the exemptions and certain categories of employment in relation to vulnerable adults only, and those exemptions would not apply to people working with children. This amendment has been proposed by three organisations which speak for vulnerable adults—Voice UK, the Ann Craft Trust and Respond. They would like to remove from the exemptions organisations providing recreational, social, sporting or educational activities, as referred to in Clause 14(1)(d) and, as mentioned in paragraph (e), those providing,"““a course of education or instruction which is of a prescribed description””." They feel that there is no reason for those people to be exempt from the measures in the Bill. I beg to move.