Child Welfare

Baroness D'Souza Excerpts

Thursday 7th January 2021 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness D’Souza]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to appoint a Cabinet-level Minister with responsibility for policies relating to the welfare of children.

[Baroness D’Souza (CB) [V]]

My Lords, am I coming across?

[Lord Ashton of Hyde (Con)]

The noble Baroness is coming across, she just needs to ask permission to put her Question.

[Baroness D’Souza (CB) [V]]

Thank you. My Lords, there has been a welcome focus on children’s welfare in the past few months, be it child poverty, free school meals, obesity, domestic abuse, education and excluded children, among other—

[Lord Ashton of Hyde (Con)]

My Lords, the noble Baroness is putting her supplementary question. Perhaps she could ask permission to ask her Question standing on the Order Paper.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness D’Souza (CB) [V]]

I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Department for International Trade (Baroness Berridge) (Con)]

My Lords, families play a primary role in caring for and educating their children. The right honourable Secretary of State for Education has therefore been asked to drive forward policy in order to protect vulnerable children and give all children the best start in life. To work towards this, the Government have announced £2.5 million to research and develop best practice on how to integrate family services and support for vulnerable children.

[Baroness D’Souza (CB) [V]]

I thank the Minister for her Answer. As I said somewhat earlier, there has been a welcome focus on children’s welfare in the past few months, including children’s poverty, free school meals, obesity, domestic abuse, education and excluded children, among other issues. However, is it not now time for the Government to consider it appropriate to appoint a senior, Cabinet-level Minister with special responsibilities for children to consolidate, co-ordinate, streamline, implement and introduce new policies to meet these continuing needs?

[Baroness Berridge (Con)]

My Lords, the needs of children and families indeed cut across government departments. Therefore, the Government’s existing procedures are utilised when policy impacts on more than one department. For instance, there is now a ministerial group in relation to the needs of care leavers. Reviews have taken place, such as the Selous review of service families. So existing procedures are being used across government and the Secretary of State is driving forward new policy.