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Coastal Towns

I accept the Government’s word when they say that they will take an issue more seriously. However, it is incumbent on hon. Members who represent areas in which the problem exists and who have evidence of the points that have been made to make the Government directly aware of the practical consequences in their constituencies of the policy’s continuance. The point is not that people are unaware of the problem; it is that until now the efforts that have been made have been inadequate in ensuring that the placing authorities do not continue their practices. I understand the pressures on London boroughs in particular. They might not have sufficient accommodation in their area, but in my view they should be more proactive in dealing with the problem, instead of shunting children off to care homes. Those homes might try their best, but they can never provide the proper care that is needed, because the children concerned have been completely removed from the support mechanisms that they would normally expect in their own borough. I said that I would be brief, and I do not have any further substantive points to make. I shall listen with interest to the remarks of other hon. Members. If they do not manage to address all the points that they wish to, I urge them to continue to use other parliamentary avenues to get their message through to the Government.