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Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 13:"Page 1, line 8, leave out ““may”” and insert ““shall””" The noble Lord said: We have tabled this amendment to strengthen the Bill. Rather than using the word ““may”” in line 8, we wish to insert ““shall””, resulting in a stronger situation, which would be highly desirable in our view. The wording of the Children Act 2004 outlines the much criticised general functions of the Children’s Commissioner for England, while Wales, in that particular case, adopted a much bolder, more proactive and rights-based approach for its Children’s Commissioner than did England. We believe that it is highly desirable that it adopts the same approach for the older people’s commissioner, ensuring that the commissioner carries out his functions and is far more effective. The matter is very simple: we wish to give the commissioner more power. I beg to move.