§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many social services departments have not complied fully with the Protection of Children Act 1999; [19095]
(2)what monitoring of social service departments he has undertaken to ensure that the vetting procedures laid out in the Protection of Children Act 1999 are undertaken; [19102]
(3)what measures he has taken to ensure that the vetting measures contained within the Protection of Children Act 1999 are fully complied with. [19101]
§ Jacqui SmithAll children's services are regularly inspected by the Department's social services inspectorate. These inspections include scrutiny of the provisions for children's safeguards to ensure that the requirements of the Children Act and subsequent legislation and regulations are being implemented. This scrutiny therefore covers recruitment policies and practices and I can confirm that of the 60 councils whose children services have been inspected since August 1999, all have developed policies and procedures to check the suitability of staff working with children which are consistent with the requirements of current legislation and guidance. All councils will have been covered by 2004.
§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prosecutions have been brought under the Protection of Children Act 1999 of(a) employers who fail to vet applicants for child care jobs and (b) individuals who have been banned from working with children applying to do so. [19097]
374WIn September 1999 there were only 30 cadet schemes in England. By March 2001 this had more than doubled to in excess of 60 schemes. Following a national seminar on cadet schemes earlier this year, the Department undertook a varied work programme to ensure the continued expansion of cadet schemes throughout England.