The first debate in the House today was a three-hour debate, introduced by former Education Secretary, Baroness Shephard of Northwold, on the functioning of Children’s Services Departments.

I took part in the debate.  It is not one of my principal areas of interest, but I was interested in one particular aspect. Under the Government’s proposals for post-legislative review, the Children Act 2004 should be subject to review soon.  Given the problems identified, it is important not only that there is a review but that it is not too narrow and that it is published.  I gather the first post-legislative review submitted to a select committee in the Commons is rather legalistic and is an unpublished paper.

The debate was characteristic of debates in the Lords and for a number of reasons.  First, most of the speakers stayed for the whole of the debate.  It is expected that you are present for the opening and closing speeches as well as the ones immediately before and after your own, but it is not unusual to sit throughout a debate to hear what everybody has to say.  

Second – and a reason why people sat to listen throughout – was the quality of the speeches.  There were some excellent contributions from people who really knew what they were talking about: Baroness Bottomley, who had experience at the sharp end as a social worker: she recalled the occasion when her mini was overturned and set on fire;  Baroness Perry, a former HM Inspector in the Department of Education; Baroness Howarth of Breckland, who has served as a Director of Social Services and is now chair of CAFCASS (Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service); Baroness Morris of Yardley, a teacher  by background who served as an Education Minister; and Baroness Massey of Darwen, another teacher with extensive experience in youth training and health education.  The list is not exhaustive. 

Third, there was the constructive nature of the debate: peers were not engaging in point scoring but rather seeking to identify what could be done to improve the delivery of support services for children.  There was certainly the identification of problems (not least the disparate nature of very large Departments and problems of retaining good staff) but also a serious attempt to identify solutions.  As the minister said, the debate was thought-provoking; I thought it was extremely enlightening – I learned a lot from it.  

The debate was just part of a busy day.  There were two statements – on the third runway at Heathrow and Equitable Life – as well as a debate on the practices of local authorities in setting parking and traffic regimes.   A busy but not untypical day in the House.