---

Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

My Lords, like the noble Baroness, I thank the Minister for his response, but we come down to the word ““formally””. Although ““formally”” no longer applies to the social services because the formal responsibility for those in custody has passed to someone else, the relationship between the social worker and the person who has gone into custody should surely not change. It should be adjusted to follow the formal responsibility. The state has not relinquished formal responsibility for that person. The state retains it, but in a slightly different form. I wonder whether this is the nub of the statement of 3 December, which I continue to question, which rather implies that, once someone has gone into custody, the state no longer has that responsibility. That is the burden of my contention.