§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the recommendations of the September report of the British Agencies of Adoption and Fostering; and if he will make a statement. [61028]
§ Mr. HuttonWe have taken note of the British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering Action Plan which will help inform its own strategic plans for adoption, to be taken forward in the "quality protects" programme to improve children's services, announced on 21 September 1998.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps will be taken to ensure that local authorities implement recent ministerial guidance on adoption practices. [61026]
§ Mr. Hutton"Adoption—Achieving the Right Balance" was published on 28 August 1998 under Local Authority Circular (98)20 and addressed to members and directors of local authorities and directors of voluntary adoption societies. The guidance raised a number of important issues for improving the adoption service including better strategic planning, avoiding delay in placing children for adoption and the introduction of measures to avoid children drifting in the care system. This guidance was prepared as part of our initiative "quality protects"; within this context therefore, we will be working closely with local authorities for the improvement of services for children, including adoption. The Department will monitor progress carefully to ensure that effective measures for achieving improvements have been introduced.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given by his Department on appropriate maximum charges for home studies for inter-country adoption. [61023]
§ Mr. HuttonFees charged by local authorities and adoption agencies are expected to cover the cost of preparing and assessing prospective adopters, submitting a report on the applicant concerning their suitability to 205W become adoptive parents of children living abroad and any administrative costs. The Department has given no guidance about a maximum fee.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health on what criteria countries are selected for negotiating bilateral agreements for inter-country adoptions. [61021]
§ Mr. HuttonBilateral adoption agreements are essentially formal arrangements to enable citizens of the United Kingdom to adopt children from countries overseas meeting the requirements of the United Kingdom and the particular country concerned. Agreements are proposed by the Department in regard to countries which have little experience of intercountry adoption, with the aim of ensuring that the Department submits applications only for prospective adopters approved by the proper authorities in the UK. Also, the UK responds to requests for an adoption agreement where a country makes it a condition absolute before UK citizens are permitted to apply to adopt children from that country.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are employed by the(a) Department of Health and (b) Social Services Inspectorate in cases where they have rejected local authority home study assessments for overseas adoption. [61027]
§ Mr. MilburnIn its consideration of overseas adoption applications which are supported by a local authority or approved intercountry adoption agency, the Department, acting on advice of the Social Services Directorate, applies the same standards and criteria as are applied for domestic applications. Since 1993, the Department has been unable to support 6 applications out of a total of approximately 1,100. In addition, the Department will not support applications which do not meet the requirements of the applicants' country of choice.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest estimate available of the number of children entering the UK for adoption following approval by his Department in the financial year 1997–98. [61025]
§ Mr. HuttonBased on the number of adoption applications supported by the Department, the number of children entering the United Kingdom in the financial year 1997–98 for the purposes of adoption was approximately 220.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps(a) have been taken to date and (b) are planned, to involve public interest and advisory groups in discussion of future adoption legislation. [61024]
§ Mr. HuttonA comprehensive review of adoption law culminated in the publication in March 1996 of the consultative document "Adoption—A Service for Children". We will consult widely on any proposed adoption legislation which differs substantially from the 1996 proposals.