Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

In the spirit of solidarity which, as we know, reigns among the independent Cross-Bench Peers in the House of Lords, the points raised in the amendment are important: the extent to which we specify the level of supervision, or to which it is specified, the maximum level of caseload and other elements which we know from past experience were—as in the Victoria Climbié case—at the centre of the problem. As so often happens in Committee, we must consider whether this should be built into the Bill or encouraged in other ways. I emphasise that we are dealing with a serious point. The extent to which we can achieve what is set out in the amendment, by this means or others, is important to the effective operation of the system we are trying to encourage in the Bill. I support the amendment. I do not necessarily ask that it go into the Bill, but I would like to have the sort of assurances which the noble Earl has asked for in introducing it.