Jacqui Lait (Con, Beckenham), speaking on the protection of children, said the Bill sought to “prevent the exploitation by parents of their children by means of seeking publicity, primarily for the purpose of financial gain, in respect of the actions of such children".
"What concerns me more than anything else is that the parents could even dream that they could make money from their own vulnerable children," Lait said.
She also spoke about the exploitation of children by the media.
Lait called for "a measure of protection for any other children who may become the victims of their parents" but said that her Bill would not try to control the media or "stop child prodigies and their parents benefiting from their achievements".
"My Bill simply puts back on parents the responsibility not to exploit their vulnerable children by amending the Children and Young Persons Act 1933," she said.
She added: people who had responsibility of publicising children in a situation which could in turn cause that child to be exploited and harmed should be liable to "on summary conviction to a fine and/or imprisonment of up to two years".
The Bill is scheduled to be read a second time on Friday June 26.
Progress
House of Commons
First reading: April 28 2009
Second reading: June 26 2009
