Valerie tables Amendment to the Children and Family Bill

Valerie Vaz, Member of Parliament for Walsall South, tabled two amendments to the Children and Families Bill which had its Third Reading in the House of Commons on Tuesday 11 June 2013. However the amendments fell.

Valerie Vaz MP said:

“I introduced two 10 Minute Rule Bills to Parliament. In 2010 I moved the Epilepsy and Related Conditions (Education and Health Services) Bill, and in 2011 I moved Adoption (Leave, pay and Allowance Arrangements) Bill. I am pleased that the Government has included provisions from both of these Bills in the Children and Family Bill.”

“The Government has included provisions to equalised leave, pay and allowance arrangements for adoptive parents with those whose children are born to them. My amendment to the Children and Families Bill is to equalise the entitlement to allowances for self-employed adopters and self-employed mothers, the only provision the Bill does not cover.”

“From my Epilepsy and Related Conditions (Education and Health Services) 10 Minute Rule Bill the Government has included a local authority requirement to secure for a child, educational, health and care plans, in light of a having an assessment of their education, health and care needs. The amendment I tabled requires a school to request an education, health and care needs assessment for a student once they are diagnosed with Epilepsy or related conditions. Whilst both these amendments fell, I am pleased the Government took into account the other provisions of the 10 Minute Rule Bills. ”

Valerie Vaz’s amendments to the Children and Families Bill:

• Adoption: To move the following Clause:—
‘The Secretary of State shall conduct an analysis of the potential costs, benefits and desirability of providing for adoptive parents who are self-employed or in receipt of welfare benefits to receive a weekly payment during the adoption pay period equivalent to the maternity allowance paid to new parents whose children are born to them.’.

• Epliepsy: Clause 36, page 28, line 21, at end insert—372:
‘(1A) A person acting on behalf of a school or a post-16 institution (“A”) must request an EHC needs assessment for a child or young person (“B”) as soon as A becomes aware that B has been diagnosed with epilepsy or a related condition.’.

Information relating to the Children and Families Bill can be found here: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2013-14/childrenandfamilies.html

• Epilepsy and Related Conditions (Education and Health Services) Bill provisions:
1. Immediate tertiary referral to a specialist clinician;
2. Individual assessments in schools
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/epilepsyandrelatedconditionseducationandhealthservices.html

• Adoption (Leave, Pay and Allowance Arrangements) Bill provisions:
1. Equal eligibility for maternity leave and adoption leave.
2. Equal rates of pay for the first six weeks of adoption and maternity leave.
3. Equal eligibility for a statutory adoption allowance equivalent to maternity allowance
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/adoptionleavepayandallowancearrangements.html