CHILDREN'S COMMISSIONER

Early day motion 775, tabled 4 March 2004 by Hilton Dawson (Labour). Signed by 68 members.

That this House welcomes the publication of the Children Bill and the Government's commitment to the establishment of an Office of Children's Commissioner, but regrets the lack of a clear duty to promote the rights and interests of children, the prohibition on the Commissioner from investigating the case of an individual child unless so directed by the Secretary of State, the exclusion of children in custody in adult offender institutions and children affected by immigration and asylum law from the functions of the Commissioner, and the lack of a power for the Commissioner to take legal action on behalf of children or to obtain information about the impact of particular Government policy upon children; and urges a Government which is rightly ambitious for all children to bring forward suitable amendments to the Bill to ensure that children and all those concerned to improve children's lives can benefit from the presence of a bold, independent and powerful ally to face the challenges ahead.

Signatures by party: Labour 34, Liberal Democrat 28, Labour/Co-operative 4, Independent Conservative 1, Plaid Cymru 1.