Question proposed, That this schedule be the Third schedule to the Bill.

I have a simple question about the schedule, which is very short and seems to revolve around the word “and”. Can the Minister explain what it does?

Schedule 3 makes two small repeals of words in the Children Act 1989 in order to enable the insertion of amendments dealt with elsewhere in the Bill, including amendments to provisions on family assistance orders in section 16 of the Children Act 1989.

The first is the removal of the word “and” from section 14B(1) for reasons of grammatical sense. The second is the repeal of section 16(3)(a), which gives effect to clause 6 on family assistance orders by removing the condition that they are to be used only in exceptional circumstances. We considered the policy when dealing with clause 6; schedule 3 is a minor consequential amendment. I hope that I have satisfied the hon. Gentleman’s need to know.

I am very satisfied, as nearly always, with the Minister’s answer. However, we are talking about later amendments to the Children Act 1989 that are not included in the version of that Act issued by the Vote Office. I reiterate an earlier comment, that it might be useful if Ministers were to make updates of the Children Act available to the Committee if amendments refer to specific parts of it. It is difficult to get hold of them otherwise.

Question put and agreed to.

Schedule 3 agreed to.