§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Prime Minister if he will establish a Royal Commission on the extent of child abuse; and if he will make a statement. [138764]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 27 November 2000]: The Government have taken firm action to help and protect the most vulnerable children and young people in our society. In our response to the Waterhouse Report we set out a wide ranging policy and legislative programme that includes:
the recently passed Care Standards Act which sets out wide-scale reform of the systems to protect vulnerable people and will regulate and improve standards in children's homes and other care services. The Act also establishes the post of a National Children's Rights Director within the National Care Standards Commission with a remit across all children in receipt of services regulated by the Commission;the Protection of Children Act 1999 places the Department of Health's Consultancy Index—the list of individuals deemed unsuitable to work with children—on a statutory footing. Regulated child care providers are now required to check the names of anyone they propose to employ in posts involving regular contact with children against the list; andthe £885 million Quality Protects programme which is designed to improve the management and delivery of children's social services. Linked to this programme, the Government are working with the other agencies with child protection responsibilities to identify better ways to safeguard children and promote their welfare.