To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) police community support officers there were in Doncaster on the latest date for which figures are available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) police community support officers there were in Doncaster on the latest date for which figures are available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) police community support officers were in post in Doncaster on the most recent date for which figures are available; and how many (i) police officers were in post in each year since 1997...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) police community support officers were in post in Doncaster on the most recent date for which figures are available; and how many (i) police officers were in post in each year since 1997...

I welcome the emphasis on training in both Lord Laming's report and my right hon. Friend's statement. I also welcome the establishment of a social work taskforce by my right hon. Friend and the Secretary of State for Health, but would it be possible for it to include the Secretary...

I welcome the emphasis on training in both Lord Laming's report and my right hon. Friend's statement. I also welcome the establishment of a social work taskforce by my right hon. Friend and the Secretary of State for Health, but would it be possible for it to include the Secretary...

As I pointed out in my response to the Opposition spokesman, there is a widespread consensus on the importance of the Every Child Matters reforms in the 2004 Act, but regrettably the Conservative party is outside that consensus. As Lord Laming says, there is no doubt that bringing such services...

As I pointed out in my response to the Opposition spokesman, there is a widespread consensus on the importance of the Every Child Matters reforms in the 2004 Act, but regrettably the Conservative party is outside that consensus. As Lord Laming says, there is no doubt that bringing such services...

My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall now repeat a Statement made in another place by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. The Statement is as follows: "In November last year, I commissioned an urgent inspection of children’s services in...

My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall now repeat a Statement made in another place by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. The Statement is as follows: "In November last year, I commissioned an urgent inspection of children’s services in...

My Lords, first, I declare an interest as a provider of social care. I thank the Minister for repeating the Statement and for making it available to me at the earliest opportunity, which has allowed me more time to consider its contents. I must also express my gratitude to the...

My Lords, first, I declare an interest as a provider of social care. I thank the Minister for repeating the Statement and for making it available to me at the earliest opportunity, which has allowed me more time to consider its contents. I must also express my gratitude to the...

The events that we are reflecting on today were horrific and they still haunt the nation's conscience. Protecting vulnerable children is a duty that I know the Secretary of State takes seriously and none of the questions that I ask today are intended as criticism of him personally. May I...

The events that we are reflecting on today were horrific and they still haunt the nation's conscience. Protecting vulnerable children is a duty that I know the Secretary of State takes seriously and none of the questions that I ask today are intended as criticism of him personally. May I...

I can assure my hon. Friend, whose Committee has great responsibilities in these matters, that Sir Roger Singleton, the new chief adviser, will report directly or give evidence to his Committee. We will ensure that Sir Roger gives evidence on his annual report. There must be proper scrutiny of that...

I can assure my hon. Friend, whose Committee has great responsibilities in these matters, that Sir Roger Singleton, the new chief adviser, will report directly or give evidence to his Committee. We will ensure that Sir Roger gives evidence on his annual report. There must be proper scrutiny of that...

I, too, thank the Secretary of State for providing sight of the Laming report and of his statement. I also add my thanks to Lord Laming for producing this timely report. We really have to ask today, "Are things going to change?" I recall discussing these issues in 2003 before...

I, too, thank the Secretary of State for providing sight of the Laming report and of his statement. I also add my thanks to Lord Laming for producing this timely report. We really have to ask today, "Are things going to change?" I recall discussing these issues in 2003 before...

I appreciate the careful way in which the hon. Gentleman has responded to Lord Laming's conclusions. I shall respond to his points, and I reassure him from the outset that the new national unit and the appointment of Sir Roger Singleton is not just another quango and another adviser. This...

I appreciate the careful way in which the hon. Gentleman has responded to Lord Laming's conclusions. I shall respond to his points, and I reassure him from the outset that the new national unit and the appointment of Sir Roger Singleton is not just another quango and another adviser. This...

I welcome the Secretary of State's statement and congratulate Lord Laming on a thoughtful report. I also thank the Secretary of State for early sight of it. It will take time to absorb the 58 recommendations of this well-argued report, but may I make a few points to the Secretary...

I welcome the Secretary of State's statement and congratulate Lord Laming on a thoughtful report. I also thank the Secretary of State for early sight of it. It will take time to absorb the 58 recommendations of this well-argued report, but may I make a few points to the Secretary...

May I ask the Minister what steps are being taken to improve the training of Ofsted inspectors and Ofsted in general? He may be aware that serious abuses have just been revealed at the Gatehouse special school in Milton Keynes, yet in 2006 the Ofsted inspection commented favourably on the...

May I ask the Minister what steps are being taken to improve the training of Ofsted inspectors and Ofsted in general? He may be aware that serious abuses have just been revealed at the Gatehouse special school in Milton Keynes, yet in 2006 the Ofsted inspection commented favourably on the...

My Lords, I congratulate the Government and my noble friend Lord Laming on an incisive report. However, I should like to ask the Minister about three areas of real concern that I have. My noble friend Lord Laming quite rightly describes—as I have on the Floor of this Chamber on...

My Lords, I congratulate the Government and my noble friend Lord Laming on an incisive report. However, I should like to ask the Minister about three areas of real concern that I have. My noble friend Lord Laming quite rightly describes—as I have on the Floor of this Chamber on...

The issue is raised by Lord Laming in his report, the chief inspector is alive to it and the Select Committee has raised it. Compared with last year, there has been a real change in the way that inspections are being done. We will no longer have desk-based inspections, but...

The issue is raised by Lord Laming in his report, the chief inspector is alive to it and the Select Committee has raised it. Compared with last year, there has been a real change in the way that inspections are being done. We will no longer have desk-based inspections, but...

My Lords, the noble Baroness asks wise questions. We have to be clear that there needs to be a balance between support and challenge. Where does service improvement come from if it is not from challenge? It is important that professionals feel free to contribute to serious case reviews, so...

My Lords, the noble Baroness asks wise questions. We have to be clear that there needs to be a balance between support and challenge. Where does service improvement come from if it is not from challenge? It is important that professionals feel free to contribute to serious case reviews, so...

While I was, of course, disappointed that the Liberals' shadow spokesman could not be here, the hon. Lady has great expertise in these matters and her points are well made. I will take them all very seriously. The hon. Lady is right that things must change, and Lord Laming says...

While I was, of course, disappointed that the Liberals' shadow spokesman could not be here, the hon. Lady has great expertise in these matters and her points are well made. I will take them all very seriously. The hon. Lady is right that things must change, and Lord Laming says...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Laming, on his report and I thank the Minister for repeating the Statement. I welcome the fact that the Government accept all of the noble Lord’s recommendations but what matters most is that they also will the means as well as...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Laming, on his report and I thank the Minister for repeating the Statement. I welcome the fact that the Government accept all of the noble Lord’s recommendations but what matters most is that they also will the means as well as...

My Lords, I thank both noble Baronesses for their questions. I remind the House that a key part of the analysis in the noble Lord’s report is that, having spoken to many people, having taken evidence from over 100 submissions and 200 letters from around the country and having spoken...

My Lords, I thank both noble Baronesses for their questions. I remind the House that a key part of the analysis in the noble Lord’s report is that, having spoken to many people, having taken evidence from over 100 submissions and 200 letters from around the country and having spoken...

One of the major failings of the court system involving children in child protection is the movement of cases from one judge to another—from hearing to hearing—and the lack of judicial continuity from start to finish. Will the Secretary of State raise that issue with the Justice Secretary, to ascertain...

One of the major failings of the court system involving children in child protection is the movement of cases from one judge to another—from hearing to hearing—and the lack of judicial continuity from start to finish. Will the Secretary of State raise that issue with the Justice Secretary, to ascertain...

My Lords, I can be specific in answer to the second point that the noble Lord made. Vacancies for children and social workers stood at 9.5 per cent in 2006 and turnover rates were also high, at 9.6 per cent, in the same year. I do not think that we...

My Lords, I can be specific in answer to the second point that the noble Lord made. Vacancies for children and social workers stood at 9.5 per cent in 2006 and turnover rates were also high, at 9.6 per cent, in the same year. I do not think that we...