CYP Now - Every Child Matters Inquiry: Hodge grilled on commissioner and child information databases

The children's minister has admitted she is expecting to clash with the children's commissioner for England, once the post is filled in the next few weeks.

Margaret Hodge also told MPs the government was moving slowly on children's information-sharing databases in order to prevent an "IT disaster".

She was being grilled by members of the education and skills select committee, as part of its ongoing Every Child Matters inquiry. The MPs expressed concern that the new children's commissioner would be too weak to be effective but Hodge rejected the suggestion.

"I don't think we will always agree," she said. "I think I'll find the children's commissioner quite challenging on a number of issues. I hope we'll work together but I don't expect it to be a comfortable relationship. I think this will be a tough, strong commissioner who will make my life difficult from time to time."

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