I have two points. The noble Lord presses me, but it genuinely is for the commission to develop the business model. That is why we are going down this route. If it planned to do something that the Government thought was outrageous, the protections are in the directions and guidance...

I have two points. The noble Lord presses me, but it genuinely is for the commission to develop the business model. That is why we are going down this route. If it planned to do something that the Government thought was outrageous, the protections are in the directions and guidance...

I find this discussion quite extraordinary. In what he has just said, the Minister relied on Clause 7(4)(a). My noble friend and I understand quite readily what, "““any Minister of the Crown or department of the Government of the United Kingdom””" means, but we do not know what ““other public...

I find this discussion quite extraordinary. In what he has just said, the Minister relied on Clause 7(4)(a). My noble friend and I understand quite readily what, "““any Minister of the Crown or department of the Government of the United Kingdom””" means, but we do not know what ““other public...

The debate has been valuable. I want to reflect on what has been said. I have two queries. First, the commission will have such a difficult birth and early period before it gets into a stable state, if it ever does. I am prepared to believe that the work done...

The debate has been valuable. I want to reflect on what has been said. I have two queries. First, the commission will have such a difficult birth and early period before it gets into a stable state, if it ever does. I am prepared to believe that the work done...

I am extremely grateful to the noble Lord for proving what I said in my opening sentences on Tuesday—I do not have Tuesday’s Hansard with me—about the Minister’s way of operating. I am extremely pleased that he will take this away and will hopefully bring back an amendment that is...

I am extremely grateful to the noble Lord for proving what I said in my opening sentences on Tuesday—I do not have Tuesday’s Hansard with me—about the Minister’s way of operating. I am extremely pleased that he will take this away and will hopefully bring back an amendment that is...

This may be a convenient moment for the Committee to adjourn until Tuesday at 3.30 pm.

This may be a convenient moment for the Committee to adjourn until Tuesday at 3.30 pm.

The annual report is an important document. The amendments in this group tabled in my name and that of my noble friend require that nothing in any future annual report will interfere with the flow of the quarterly statistics, which are currently published through the Office for National Statistics. I...

The annual report is an important document. The amendments in this group tabled in my name and that of my noble friend require that nothing in any future annual report will interfere with the flow of the quarterly statistics, which are currently published through the Office for National Statistics. I...

moved Amendment No. 58: 58: Clause 9, page 4, line 22, leave out ““for each financial year”” and insert ““at the end of the first complete year and thereof annually”” The noble Lord said: The amendments are intended to improve the provisions in the Bill that relate to the commission's...

moved Amendment No. 58: 58: Clause 9, page 4, line 22, leave out ““for each financial year”” and insert ““at the end of the first complete year and thereof annually”” The noble Lord said: The amendments are intended to improve the provisions in the Bill that relate to the commission's...

I find this a rather curious amendment from Gingerbread. I am not sure that it is appropriate to put words such as this in a Bill such as this. We all know why child maintenance is important; it is to ensure that a child who lives with one parent has...

I find this a rather curious amendment from Gingerbread. I am not sure that it is appropriate to put words such as this in a Bill such as this. We all know why child maintenance is important; it is to ensure that a child who lives with one parent has...

I am sure that everyone, not only in the Moses Room but throughout the country, wants to support the reduction of poverty among children—children with both parents and those who are separated from one parent. On this occasion, I support the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, and the noble Lord, Lord...

I am sure that everyone, not only in the Moses Room but throughout the country, wants to support the reduction of poverty among children—children with both parents and those who are separated from one parent. On this occasion, I support the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, and the noble Lord, Lord...

My understanding—perhaps I misunderstood—was that under the EDS contract, it owned not only the system but the information on it, so that had one sought to transfer contracts, none of the data would have gone with it, so one would have had to have started from scratch. Obviously, that was...

My understanding—perhaps I misunderstood—was that under the EDS contract, it owned not only the system but the information on it, so that had one sought to transfer contracts, none of the data would have gone with it, so one would have had to have started from scratch. Obviously, that was...

On that happy note, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendment No. 30 not moved.]

On that happy note, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendment No. 30 not moved.]

Obviously, I will withdraw the amendments. I will study carefully what the Minister has said. I think that Parliament needs more reassurance than he is prepared to give us collectively. There are issues with commercial confidentiality and so forth. If the Office of Government Commerce is involved, is there not...

Obviously, I will withdraw the amendments. I will study carefully what the Minister has said. I think that Parliament needs more reassurance than he is prepared to give us collectively. There are issues with commercial confidentiality and so forth. If the Office of Government Commerce is involved, is there not...

That is an extremely useful adjunct to what I was saying. As usual, the noble Baroness, being rather more fluent than I normally am, has put flesh on the bones of my argument. I do not think that we will get further with this proposal today. All sorts of inhibitions...

That is an extremely useful adjunct to what I was saying. As usual, the noble Baroness, being rather more fluent than I normally am, has put flesh on the bones of my argument. I do not think that we will get further with this proposal today. All sorts of inhibitions...

The noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, referred to the Minister being lonely. My spies tell me that he has been moved from having responsibility for this subject and actually has nothing to do with this amendment. That is annoying. His 15 months are obviously up; he is just beginning to get...

The noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, referred to the Minister being lonely. My spies tell me that he has been moved from having responsibility for this subject and actually has nothing to do with this amendment. That is annoying. His 15 months are obviously up; he is just beginning to get...

moved Amendment No. 26: 26: Clause 2, page 1, line 15, after ““to”” insert ““encourage when appropriate and to”” The noble Lord said: Here we are again. It is somewhat distressing to find the Minister on his own. He has an enormous set of advisers behind him, but he is...

moved Amendment No. 26: 26: Clause 2, page 1, line 15, after ““to”” insert ““encourage when appropriate and to”” The noble Lord said: Here we are again. It is somewhat distressing to find the Minister on his own. He has an enormous set of advisers behind him, but he is...

I do not have the letter in front of me, but it is not my understanding that Ventura will run the contact centre. We are looking to see initially how staff internally can be involved in providing that face-to-face service. Certainly at the starting point, we know that the voluntary...

I do not have the letter in front of me, but it is not my understanding that Ventura will run the contact centre. We are looking to see initially how staff internally can be involved in providing that face-to-face service. Certainly at the starting point, we know that the voluntary...

I shall avoid following my noble friend in attacking the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood. On Amendments Nos. 54 and 55, I should like to ask the Minister for clarity. Clause 7 concerns agency arrangements between the commission and any ““relevant authority””. What is that relevant authority? The Minister may point...

I shall avoid following my noble friend in attacking the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood. On Amendments Nos. 54 and 55, I should like to ask the Minister for clarity. Clause 7 concerns agency arrangements between the commission and any ““relevant authority””. What is that relevant authority? The Minister may point...

I thank noble Lords for tabling these amendments, which raise interesting points. On Amendments Nos. 54 and 55, which relate to agency arrangements, perhaps I may explain why we have included agency arrangement provisions in the Bill. As a statutory body, the commission will have only the powers conferred on...

I thank noble Lords for tabling these amendments, which raise interesting points. On Amendments Nos. 54 and 55, which relate to agency arrangements, perhaps I may explain why we have included agency arrangement provisions in the Bill. As a statutory body, the commission will have only the powers conferred on...

I am very glad that we have had this debate. I certainly agree that there has been no dedicated service on information and support up to now, which has been a great weakness. I more than agree that it is important: it is absolutely vital. I cannot see the whole...

I am very glad that we have had this debate. I certainly agree that there has been no dedicated service on information and support up to now, which has been a great weakness. I more than agree that it is important: it is absolutely vital. I cannot see the whole...

I am delighted to hear that the department is proposing to use child contact centres as places where a draft voluntary agreement might be provided to families. That is an extremely good idea. I declare an interest as a patron of a Welsh child contact centre. I hope that the...

I am delighted to hear that the department is proposing to use child contact centres as places where a draft voluntary agreement might be provided to families. That is an extremely good idea. I declare an interest as a patron of a Welsh child contact centre. I hope that the...