The key provisions

The Bill paves the way for a dossier to be built up on every child born in Britain. It will provide a range of personal details and will be designed to enable various agencies to share information better and to prevent abusers slipping through the net.

However, following warnings about the threat to privacy, the Bill leaves open the question of whether databases should be compiled at national, regional or local level.

Councils

Local authorities will be required to combine education and social services for under-18s under a new post of director of children's services by 2008. They must also nominate politicians to be "lead councillors".

"Hit squads" are to be parachuted into social services departments with poor children's services records.

Child protection committees made up of social and youth workers are to be renamed "local safeguarding children boards".

Young People's Fund

A £200 million fund will be set up with lottery cash to promote "youth inclusion - particularly by providing facilities and activities - both after school and in holiday periods". Another £100 million could be provided over the next two years to "address pressures on children's services". Ministers want to see a "market" emerge in children's services, with the best-performing local authorities setting up their own trading arms.

Children's Commissioner

The centrepiece of the Bill sets up a powerful new commissioner to be a "voice for all children, and young people, especially those who are most vulnerable".

The commissioner will draw on children's views and make sure they influence policy. He or she will advise ministers and liaise with a range of other organisations, and order individual cases to be investigated.

The post will be independent of government, but will report annually to MPs.