Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

My Lords, I am most grateful to the Minister for her reply to all the issues covered by this group of amendments. It is very gratifying that the Government accept the importance of housing in relation to the well-being of children. I thank her for mentioning that the guidance will ensure that the links are made stronger and that they will be assessed in the comprehensive area assessment. I am also delighted that she confirmed that social landlords will be consulted and brought more into the family of organisations that are working on the well-being of children. I am staggered by the suggestion that academies should not have the duty to co-operate in this matter. Safeguarding children is not an option. It should be the duty of all relevant bodies. I thank the Minister for what she said about the child-friendly version of the Children and Young People’s Plan, which was very gratifying, and also about the consultation with the relevant groups. I echo what the noble Lord, Lord Morris, said in welcoming the commitment she gave about the statutory guidance and the practical advice to children’s trust boards on the compliance of their plan with the convention. As she rightly said, it is the responsibility of the state to comply with the convention that it has signed. However, I would have thought that part of that compliance would be ensuring that the convention was implemented by every relevant body in the state. It is very appropriate that that should be done, and I am most grateful to the Minister. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 276A withdrawn. Amendments 276AA to 276C not moved. Debate on whether Clause 186 should stand part of the Bill.