Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to section 179 of the Health and Care Act 2022, whether he is taking steps to support cross-departmental work to prepare the report required under subsection (1); and whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential use of a consistent child identifier to facilitate the sharing of information.

The Department for Education are leading a cross-government programme to meet the legislative commitment in the Health and Social Care Act 2022 for the Government to report to Parliament by summer 2023 on its policy on information sharing in relation to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The report will include a consideration of the use of a consistent child identifier across agencies.

The Child Protection Ministerial Group (CPMG) brings together junior Ministers from Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care, Home Office, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Ministry of Justice to provide oversight of the programme. The CPMG last met in April, and the consistent child identifier was discussed at that meeting.