Shadow Secretary of State for Education, Stephen Twigg, moved an Opposition day debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday 13 June on the safeguarding children.
The Opposition motion states "That this House notes the updated statutory guidance to safeguard and promote the welfare of children published on 12 June 2012; and calls on the Government to ensure that the needs of the child are at the centre of all assessments and decision-making processes regarding safeguarding.."
The Department for Education has published new guidance and a consultation on the new guidance on its website.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education, Tim Loughton, responded on behalf of the Government.
Watch and read the views expressed by MPs during the debate on Parliament TV and in Commons Hansard. Also find parliamentary material on in the Topics and News sections.
Opposition day debates
Opposition days are days allocated in the House of Commons in each session for the discussion of subjects chosen by the Opposition. Seventeen days are at the disposal of the leader of the largest opposition party to decide which topics are debated. Three days are also allocated to the other smaller opposition parties.
The Opposition generally use them to raise questions of policy and administration. Frequently, two separate subjects are debated on an opposition day.