Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill

I very much support the amendment. This is one of those areas where I think many of us feel that far more time and prelegislative scrutiny should have been given because the issue brings worry and concern. As an old—and I mean old in every sense of the word—juvenile court chairman of many years, one went through the whole procedure of sending children off to approved schools. In those days, we did not know that those schools were natural gathering ground for paedophiles. It is therefore very much at the back of one’s mind. It is particularly important that the amendments are supported by both the NSPCC and Barnardo’s. That in itself gives a pretty clear indication of everyone’s concern about these areas, which are very troubling indeed. I urge the Government to think carefully about the wording and any disposition to change it. However, I would much rather urge them, as they have done on other occasions, to take back this bit of the Bill and to give it the consideration that it should be given.