I thank the Minister for his response. It is as I rather imagined it would be. One reason why I keep returning to this matter again and again is to make the point that the guidance and the existing statutory framework are not working. There is a huge variation between departments. The Minister talked about the use of discretion around personal data. What scope do local authorities have to exercise discretion? What can they say and what can they not say? It clearly varies from authority to authority. The Minister said that there is guidance, but there is huge variation: people in one local authority are invited in and given sessions with trained social workers who talk them through the difficulties and the fact that their records have disappeared, whereas people in the neighbouring authority get a letter. Clearly the guidance is not working. I do not imagine that the Minister will change his mind, but I wonder whether he will accept that there is a need to review the way in which the current guidance is being implemented to see whether it can be improved.
Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]
Proceeding contribution from
Baroness Barker
(Liberal Democrat)
in the House of Lords on Thursday, 17 January 2008.
It occurred during Debate on bills
and
Committee proceeding on Children and Young Persons Bill [HL].
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
697 c587GC 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords Grand Committee
Subjects
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Timestamp
2023-12-16 02:28:24 +0000
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