CYP Now - Minister's Question Time: Margaret Hodge, Minister for children, young people and families (4)

Will the children's commissioner be given the power to initiate his or her own enquiries, or will he or she only be able to investigate what your department allows?

I know there is confusion here. The commissioner will be independent.

He or she can choose to investigate and write a report on any issue or service that impacts on children and young people. However, statutory enquiries will be commissioned by the secretary of state arising perhaps out of particular cases that have a more general relevance. For instance, if we had had a commissioner in post he or she might have led the enquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie. I see the commissioner writing a range of reports going well beyond public services. He or she might investigate advertising for children or issues surrounding obesity, to take two topical issues as examples.

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