§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his proposals for further implementation of the Children Act 1975.
§ Mr. YoungerFollowing discussion with representatives of the Scottish judiciary and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, I intend to implement most of the remaining provisions in the Children Act 1975 as they apply to Scotland over the next year or so.
I am today making a commencement order appointing 1 September 1984 as the date when a number of provisions in the Act will be brought into effect, including:
a. all remaining provisions in part I of the Act (other than sections 1 and 2) on adoption, including freeing for adoption; and
b. section 80 on reviews of children in care.
To allow sufficient time for the courts and local authorities to prepare for the important changes in adoption proceedings which will be effected by these sections, I shall shortly make regulations under section 103 of the 1975 Act to establish panels of persons to act as reporting officers and curators ad litem for the purposes of section 20 of the 1975 Act.
Provision was made in local authority current expenditure for social work in 1984–85 to enable further sections of the Act to be implemented. It is intended that this should be done in accordance with the following timetable:
Sections 1 and 2 (statutory adoption service)—December 1984
Sections 66 and 78 (safeguarding the interests of the child before children's hearings, and in certain proceedings before the sheriff)—February/March 1985
Sections 95–97 (regulation of private fostering) — Spring 1985
Sections 47–55 (custody)—September/October 1985
Discussions will be held with the local authorities and the courts on the detailed planning required to enable this programme to be achieved.