Child Poverty Bill

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Walmsley, for tabling the amendment, which of course we support. Members will recall that in Committee, where a similar amendment was tabled, we listened carefully to the points made by noble Lords and undertook to consider further whether the independence of the commission could be strengthened by permitting it to choose a deputy chair from among its members. In both this House and the other place we have repeatedly made it clear that the value of the commission lies in the quality and independence of its advice. Provisions in the Bill and commitments we have made with regard to the approved appointments process of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments will establish a commission that has the capacity to provide advice which is of high quality and independent. The noble Baroness referred to that process in her opening remarks. We are persuaded that allowing the commission to select a deputy chair from its appointed membership will boost the capacity for independence and give it scope to regulate its affairs in the most efficient and effective manner. On that basis we are happy to support the amendment. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Martin, for his valuable contribution and for his collection of undesirable dogs that one might come across. I should say to him that, as was said in Committee, paragraph 1(4) of Schedule 1 requires the Secretary of State to appoint commission members who have a broad range of experience in working in the field of poverty, including working with children and families experiencing poverty. I hope that meets the important point that he has made.