§ Dr. OwenI beg to move Amendment No. 14, in page 13, line 25, leave out from "and" to end of line 26 and insert
'performing such other duties as the rules may prescribe.'This amendment provides that rules of court may prescribe the duties of reporting officers appointed under Clause 20(1) (b) of the Bill.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Dr. OwenI beg to move Amendment No. 15, in page 13, line 31, leave out paragraph (b).
This amendment, by deleting Clause 20(2)(b), removes the prohibition on the guardian ad litem or the reporting officer being an employee of the local authority involved in a non-agency application.
Amendments made to Clause 20 in Committee provide that guardians ad litem and reporting officers must be independent not only of the adoption agency, that is, a local authority or approved adoption society, which placed the child or made the application for a freeing order or held parental rights over a child who was the subject of an application for the revocation of a freeing order, but also of the local authority which has been notified by the prospective adopters of their intention to apply for an adoption order if the child has not been placed by an agency.
The Association of Directors of Social Services, BASW and ABAA have all 1460 pointed out that this is unnecessary and could be a waste of social work resources. I am sure that the House will welcome the amendment.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Amendments made: No. 16, in page 13, line 34, after '14', insert 'by'.
§ No. 17, in page 13, line 36, after '16 insert 'by'.—[Dr. Owen.]