Statement: Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Statement from Paul Foster MP Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill

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Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend today's vote on the Children's Wellbeing Schools Bill due to a pre-arranged urgent medical scan and appointment.

However, I have received numerous correspondences urging me to vote for the Conservative amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which includes a 'national statutory inquiry into historical child exploitation.' I am shocked and appalled by the suggestion that by not voting for this amendment, I am complicit in covering up grooming gangs.

Let me be clear: such a suggestion is absolute nonsense and utterly shameful.

Now, let me lay out some facts. While in opposition, Labour called for a national independent inquiry into child sexual abuse and supported the establishment of The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), expertly led by Professor Alexis Jay, when it was launched in 2014 by the previous Government. Over seven years, the IICSA engaged with more than 7,000 victims and survivors, processed 2 million pages of evidence, and published 61 reports and publications. Yet, the previous Government failed to implement a single one of the 20 recommendations from the final IICSA report. The Government has started to implement some of the findings and has taken immediate action on the following:

• Legislating to make it mandatory to report abuse, making it an offence with professional and criminal sanctions to fail to report or to cover up child sexual abuse.

• Legislating to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences, to ensure the punishment fits the terrible crime.

• Overhauling the way information and evidence is gathered on child sexual abuse by introducing a ‘single child identifier’ and through a strengthened police performance framework, with new standards on public protection, child abuse, and exploitation.
  

The Labour Government will continue to support further investigations that are needed, including police investigations and local independent inquiries and reviews, which can expose failings and wrongdoing in local areas and institutions.

This amendment, submitted by the Tories and Reform, means that progress is being halted and crucial steps that we want to take to improve the wellbeing of children and young people are being delayed. If the amendment is voted through today, it would mean that the entire Bill, which does so much to protect and safeguard children and young people, would be blocked. I want to work with the opposition where we can, but if they truly cared about the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, they would support this bill because the measures already set out are designed to keep children safe and protected.

This approach is counterproductive and ultimately harms their own cause. In the midst of this political manoeuvring, we are losing sight of the real focus of this Bill – our children.

If I were able to vote today, I would have voted for the Children's Wellbeing Schools Bill as it stands.

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