Area Child Protection Committees (Hansard, 24 February 2003)

§ Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what resources are(a) available and (b) proposed for area child protection committees; [96065]
(2) if he will make a statement on future arrangements for Area Child Protection Committees. [96040]

§ Jacqui Smith
Area child protection committee (ACPC) expenditure, is a matter for local agreement. As a multi-agency forum, the ACPC should be supported in its work by its main constituent agencies, reflecting the investment of each agency in activities which are of benefit to all, in particular inter-agency training.
The Joint Chief Inspectors' report Safeguarding Children, published on the 14 October 2002, contains a recommendation that the Department of Health should review the current arrangements for ACPCs to 357W determine whether they should be established on a statutory basis to ensure adequate accountability, authority and funding.
The Government have welcomed the publication of this report, and will respond in full to its recommendations, together with those of the Victoria Climbie Inquiry in the Children At Risk Green Paper in the spring.

§ Mr. Burstow
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on placing Area Child Protection Committees on a statutory footing; and if he will make a statement. [98594]

§ Jacqui Smith
The Joint Chief Inspectors' report Safeguarding Children, published on 14 October 2002, contains a recommendation that the Department of Health should review the current arrangements for area child protection committees, to determine whether they should be established on a statutory basis to ensure adequate accountability, authority and funding.
The Government have welcomed the publication of this report and will respond in full to its recommendations, together with those of the Victoria Climbie Inquiry, in the Children At Risk Green Paper in the spring.