Children Act 1989

HC Deb 19 February 1992 vol 204 c207W

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for monitoring implementation of the Children Act 1989.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

I have today issued a paper on the Department of Health's strategy for monitoring implementation of the Children Act. Copies of the paper have also been placed in the Library.

The monitoring strategy relies in the main on —an enhanced collection of management information returns covering the key provisions of the Children Act. —social services inspectorate's programme of a major survey of local authorities' progress towards implementation of the Act coupled with small scale inspections and development work. research.

Information drawn from these sources will form the basis of my report to Parliament at the end of 1992 on the first year of the Children Act in operation.