Hansard

I welcome the minister's assurance about giving support, guidance and training—or words to that effect—to the voluntary sector, which has to deal with its side of the bill. However, I would like to press the minister on the issue of money. The voluntary organisations face a triple whammy of more expense: first, there is their part in administering the police checks under part V of the Police Act 1997; secondly, there will be duties imposed on them under the bill; and thirdly, there will be insurance costs arising from the bill and from related issues.

The police checks are very complicated. One large youth organisation says that 66 per cent of its people have not yet gone through the checks, and the minister could help by reducing the bureaucracy involved. Although individual checks are paid for by the Executive, which is most welcome, the considerable administrative costs sometimes go well into five figures for national youth organisations, and into smaller thousands for smaller organisations. That is big money for them. The cost of implementing the bill, which involves training and recruiting staff who know about the process and who can train others, and of the legal and other expenses is also estimated in five figures for some of the large organisations.

Insurance costs will also arise. We are an increasingly litigious society, and organisations could be sued by people who have been recommended to be put on the list and who see that as a slur on their character. There could also be suits from parents whose children have had bad experiences and who feel that the organisation did not check adequately. Both ways, the cost will be significant, and again some of the organisations quote estimates well into five figures.

I urge the minister to give an assurance that there will be money to help those organisations, as well as guidance. For them, tens of thousands of pounds is very big money, but it is quite small money for the minister's budget. The bill is an important measure and a good one, but it is only fair that those who have to co-operate with it and who do not have the money should get that money, and are paid to administer the provisions correctly.