OMB 1 Rt Hon David Davis MP, Mr Crispin Blunt MP, James Brokenshire MP, and Mr Edward Garnier QC MP.

On a point of order, Mr. Atkinson. Good morning to you and to the Committee.

It might help the Committee if I expand upon whatI said in our previous sitting on amendment No. 30. Members of the Committee will remember that it would have added contracted-out prisons to the list of establishments to which the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 applies. The hon. Member for Cheadle, who moved the amendment, was concerned that people undertaking activities relating to children in contracted-out establishments should be subject to the relevant requirements of that Act. Having been made aware of that concern, I asked my officials to look into the matter.

I hope that the Committee will be reassured by paragraph (3)(1) of schedule 4 to the 2006 Act, which lists the types of establishments to which the Act’s safeguards apply. Included on the list in sub-paragraph (d) is

“an institution which is exclusively or mainly for the detention of children”.

That will mean that employees of all prisons, young offenders institutions and secure training centres, whether publicly or privately run, will be covered. I hope that the Committee finds that clarification helpful, particularly given the scope of clauses 11 to 15, all of which can at least in theory apply to institutions in which children are held.

Further to that point of order, Mr. Atkinson, I am grateful for the opportunity to respond to the Minister. I am also grateful to him for clarifying what he accepted were our genuine concerns. On the basis of what he has said, I am content to let the matter rest.

Clauses 15 and 16 ordered to stand part of the Bill.