Commentary on Sections and Schedules Part 1 – National Targets, Strategies and Reports (Sections 1 to 18) Section 14: Reports by Secretary of State
74.Section 14 imposes a duty on the Secretary of State to produce and lay before Parliament annual reports and includes other provision relating to those reports. Subsection (1) requires the Secretary of State to produce annual reports on the progress made towards meeting the targets in sections 3 to 6, and in implementing the UK strategy.
75.Subsection (2) makes provision about the dates by which the reports relating to a UK strategy must be laid before Parliament.
76.Subsection (3) requires the Secretary of State, as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of the target year, to lay before Parliament a report on the progress made in implementing the most recent UK strategy.
77.Subsection (4) provides that a report must describe: the measures taken by the Secretary of State in accordance with the UK strategy; the measures taken by the devolved administrations in accordance with their strategies; and the effect of all those measures on progress towards the targets set in sections 3 to 6 and the aim of ensuring as far as possible that children in the UK are not affected by socio-economic disadvantage.
78.Subsection (5) provides that if the measures in the UK strategy have not been implemented in full the annual report must set out the reasons why.
79.Subsection (6) provides that before preparing an annual report the Secretary of State must consult the devolved administrations.