COMMONS AMENDMENT (Hansard, 8 November 1989)

§ The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 186. I speak also to Amendments Nos. 191, 226, 227 and 353.

These amendments make minor changes to references to institutions which are youth treatment centres; that is to say, homes for children who are in need of particular facilities and services. The Government's Social Services Inspectorate reviewed the national youth treatment service last year. Its report was published on 9th May 1989. The inspectors concluded that there was a continuing need for this specialised service but recommended that its management should be removed from the Department of Health and brought within the mainstream of child care. The Government are still 805 considering that recommendation and would obviously consult interested bodies on any option for change that it might wish to pursue.

However, there are options short of that whereby management arrangements could be improved without in any way diluting the Secretary of State's responsibilities for the service or removing it from Government control. Amendment No. 226 is designed to increase the room for flexibility should the Government decide to pursue such a limited change in the future. Clause 62(5) reproduces the provision under which YTCs are currently provided. Amendment No. 226, which is very limited in scope, widens this slightly by enabling the Secretary of State to make arrangements to provide the service.

Amendment No. 227 is a minor amendment to apply the power in subsection (5) to planned future as well as present provision. Amendments Nos. 186, 191 and 353 are drafting amendments to align the terminology with that in Clause 62(5) and remove an unnecessary reference to homes provided by a local authority.