Child Poverty Bill

My Lords, I am terribly sorry to disappoint the Minister but, if I may say not unkindly, his reply shows a complete failure to grasp the essential nature of the amendments that I tabled. That is undoubtedly my fault for not setting them down right. Perhaps I had better briefly explain what I was trying to do and what I shall try to do on Report. I have had a good deal of trouble getting notes about this, but I shall try to encapsulate what I am trying to say. I recognise that the Government are doing lots of things to parents and for parents. They are supporting them and there are initiatives and so on. However, if we want this child poverty thing to work, we have to work with parents as partners. That is what is lacking in the Bill. There is a small amount about what the Government will do to parents and the Minister has made cross-references to other legislation. On that question, I am afraid that I would put Green Papers, statements of intent and so on into the waste-paper basket. We need the commitment to be in the Bill. We are here to approve or disapprove this Bill and, even if it is only in one sentence, I want the Bill to recognise the importance of engaging with parents. The Minister referred to health education, childcare and social services. That is fine—the Government are doing wonderful things—but that is not saying to parents, "We have to work together on this child poverty business". Neither the Government nor parents can do it alone. If we are working with someone else, we have to show them a bit of respect. To fail entirely to show respect to parents is a grave error. That is why I have moved this amendment and will move others coming up. That is all that I have to say. I hope that the Minister will be prepared to have a meeting when we can try to cobble something together that says what I mean and what might be acceptable to the Government. We are not getting anywhere on this argument.