§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that parents are satisfactorily represented during care proceedings.
§ Mr. NewtonThe arrangements for parents to be represented in care proceedings will not be wholly satisfactory until we are able to bring in the relevant parts of section 64 of the Children Act 1975. We have announced our intention to do this. I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 8 July 1982.—[Vol. 27, c.190].
§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will introduce a code of practice to govern the actions of social workers when taking parental rights resolutions;
(2) whether he proposes to introduce any changes to the Child Care Act 1980, in the light of the document "Against Natural Justice", published by the National Council for One-parent Families, a copy of which has been sent to him;
(3) what is his policy towards the recommendations in the document "Against Natural Justice", published by the National Council for One-parent Families, a copy of which has been sent to him.
§ Mr. NewtonWe shall be considering very carefully the report "Against Natural Justice" and the recommendations it contains.