Clause 2 - Monitoring contact

Part of Children and Adoption Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee am 6:45 pm ar 14 Mawrth 2006.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Beverley Hughes Beverley Hughes Minister of State (Children, Young People and Families), Department for Education and Skills, Minister of State (Education and Skills) (Children, Young People and Families) 6:45, 14 Mawrth 2006

We are talking about a much more general process—considering all the systems, including those that CAFCASS has already undertaken as part of its core business, not just the new responsibilities that will certainly come its way as a result of the Bill. The chief executive and the judges are concerned with the process. It is important to get CAFCASS into a steady state, but I am confident from the way in which some of the work is going that it will do so with its current business profile. If the hon. Gentleman were to look at some of the figures, which I will be happy to send him, he would see that as a result of the process on which the chief executive has embarked, the time spent on some of the activities is reducing. The demand has reduced as a result of the continuation of the process between the judges and the courts. In addition, the number of staff employed by CAFCASS increased between 2004 and 2005, so it has more capacity. I accept that we have to keep the situation under review. We all agree that CAFCASS is an important part of the arrangements to help us to address these issues, which are so important for children.