Member

Given the nature of that evaluation, I am not convinced that waiting until the end of what will be a lengthy evaluation will be the most appropriate way to address the issues that currently face the care market—although it is the case that in Clause 66(4) we are clear that the Bill will come into force on such day as appointed by the Secretary of State made by regulations, and Clause 66(5) allows different commencement dates for different areas or different purposes. So there are already provisions in the Bill which would permit the Secretary of State to delay implementation of this clause on regional co-operation arrangements. However, I very much hope that that will not be necessary. As all noble Lords have outlined, there are considerable reasons why we need to improve the sufficiency of placements: we need to fix a market that is broken, and we need to do that in order to ensure that the children who so desperately need appropriate and sufficient placements are able to get them. I hope that, for all those reasons, noble Lords will feel able not to press their amendments.