HC Deb 21 March 1989 vol 149 cc902-3
12. Mr. Archer

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a further statement on the carrying out of child minding by children.

Mr. Mellor

I am afraid that I can add nothing to the reply given to the right hon. and learned Gentleman on 6 March by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

Mr. Archer

But does the Minister agree that a statutory provision serves no purpose unless it is effectively monitored and enforced? Does not the fact that the Minister is answering this question indicate the need for co-ordination among the numerous Government Departments that are responsible for enforcing the law on child employment? Is not the primary need for more resources for the law enforcement authorities?

Mr. Mellor

I appreciate the right hon. and learned Gentleman's sincerity. If there was evidence of substantial evasion of these rules, I should certainly want to look at it. But, with respect to the right hon. and learned Gentleman, if he has such evidence he should let the Government have it, because we are not aware of any widespread evasion.

Mr. Tom Clarke

If the statutory provisions to deal with the matter are inadequate—and I have to say that there is a great deal of support from voluntary and professional organisations for what my right hon. And learned Friend says—will the Minister consider them very seriously when the Children Bill is considered by the House?

Mr. Mellor

There are two points. First, there is no doubt that no one under the age of 16 can be registered as a child minder, so any attempt to make a child into a child minder is against the law. But, secondly, the hon. Gentleman is right to say that there is a need to reconsider the law on under-fives. I expect that we shall be doing that together when the Children Bill is considered by the House.