My Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister for his characteristically full and sensitive reply. I shall just say that there are at least two letters, not just one, that should be available.
Let us be very clear about this: I made plain in my introductory remarks that I am open-minded on this issue. I can see advantages and I can see social advantages. It is very easy for people in caring, comfortable, middle-class life to be worried about others and to raise issues that concern them, but when you look at the harsh realities of life for some of those who are recruited, it perhaps brings a different perspective to the situation because what are the alternatives? They are gangs, drugs and goodness knows what. We must be realistic about this.
My concern is that we have the highest standards and that these are all the time transparent. I cannot for the life of me see why it would not therefore be very sensible to have an arrangement in the Bill which enables this scrutiny to take place. We in Parliament have special responsibilities as custodians of these children. It therefore seems very important indeed that this issue should be openly discussed and evaluated.
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The Minister has indicated some very positive arguments that will come to light and will inform the public better about what is happening but at the same time will give people an opportunity to take a constructive
interest in how things might be improved. That applies particularly in the educational sphere, where there is real concern about what happens to children later in life.
I take second place to nobody in my admiration for many of the military staff who are working with youngsters, who do take their responsibilities very seriously and very often in a very telling way take on almost a parental sense of responsibility for those in their charge. That is something very fine and is coupled with real military professionalism.
My noble friend Lord Tunnicliffe referred to our being signatories to the UN convention. Indeed we are, but I remind him that we were also very central players in the drafting of the convention. We got a great deal of international credit for that and it underlines our responsibilities in this sphere. It is not just a formality, it is something to which we have a real emotional and influential commitment.
If he will forgive my saying so, the Minister’s very full and helpful reply has indicated just how useful it would be to have a provision in the Bill for a discussion of this kind. It would be particularly good with somebody like him replying because he is always constructive and always tries to be as helpful and open as possible. I will take away what he has said and look at it very carefully with regard to what I now do, but at this stage I thank him most warmly for his response. He has given us a good deal on which to chew and to look at in more detail. I may bring this back but at this stage I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.