AMENDMENT TO SECTION 37 OF SOCIAL WORK (SCOTLAND) ACT 1968 (Hansard, 28 October 1975)

§ Mr. McElhone
I beg to move Amendment No. 254, in page 48, line 25, at end insert— '(bb) who is, or is likely to become, a member of the same household as a person who has committed or is believed to have committed such an offence; or'.

Mr. Deputy Speaker
With this we may take Amendment No. 239, in Schedule 3, page 85, line 36, at end insert—
'48A. In section 32(2)(b), at the beginning, leave out "through lack of parental care". ' and Government Amendment No. 251.

§ Mr. McElhone
Amendment Nos. 254 and 251 are intended to extend provisions of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 relating to the system of children's hearings and dealing in particular with the provision of compulsory care for children who are in a situation of risk, whether physical or otherwise.
The origin of the proposals lies in part in the consideration given by the Standing Committee to proposals for amending the Bill by providing additional grounds for the making of a care or supervision order by a juvenile court in England or Wales in care proceedings. Two of the proposals advanced at that time were in identical terms to existing grounds for referral of a child to a children's hearing in Scotland under Section 32(2). The third related to children who are members of a household where there is present a person who has committed, or is believed to have committed, offences against children. This is covered in the present amendments which are parallel to Amendment No. 127 in relation to England and Wales. Amendment No. 251 has a wider purpose, however, which is 1522 connected with Amendment No. 239 tabled in the name of the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Gordon Wilson) and other hon. Members. I hope that the hon. Gentleman and other hon. Members associated with him in this amendment will note that we have met their point.

§ Mr. Gordon Wilson
I wish to thank the Minister for incorporating within his amendments the tranche of our amendments. It meets a need which has been made clear by those active within the children's panel system in Scotland. We are grateful that he has incorporated this group.