Today, Labour is calling on the Government to rethink
changes to the law which may put some of the most vulnerable
children and adult in the country at greater risk of harm.
Labour understands the strain civil servants, the
government and local authorities are under but with the
Children’s Commissioner intervening today to say that
she ‘’would like to see all the regulations revoked, as
I do not believe that there is sufficient justification to
introduce them’’, we are calling on the Government to
urgently make time to debate these changes in the House of
Commons.
, Labour’s Shadow
Education Secretary, said:
“This is a very significant intervention from the
Children’s Commissioner. We understand the increased pressures
the civil service, government and local authorities are under
but, as she has said, there is no justification for scrapping
protections for vulnerable children in this crisis.
“Labour has raised concerns earlier in the week about these
changes and have been consulting with the children’s
sector.
“We are in full agreement that these regulations are
unnecessary and increase the risk of harm to vulnerable children
at a time when we should be providing them with more support not
less.
“The Government must urgently make time to debate these
regulations in Parliament and if it will not, we will take action
to force them to do so.’’
Ends
Notes to Editors
· The
statutory instruments to effect these changes were laid before
parliament (23 April) and come into force the next day
(24th April): http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/445/contents/made
· The
Children’s Commissioner - Statement on changes to regulations
affecting children’s social care: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/2020/04/30/statement-on-changes-to-regulations-affecting-childrens-social-care/
· The
Times - Vulnerable children’s services facing ‘outrageous
assault’:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/law/vulnerable-childrens-services-facing-outrageous-assault-vbzdr0ht5
