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Lord Laming has denied that a huge injection of cash is needed to implement the 108 recommendations in his report into the death of Victoria Climbie, writes Sally Gillen.

Giving evidence to the House of Commons health select committee, he rejected criticisms by the Association of Directors of Social Services that much more money would be needed to meet the recommendations in the 400-page document.

He told the influential group of MPs that although he accepted that social services departments had been under-resourced for many years, there was enough money in the system to act on the majority of his proposals.

He added that there was a tendency for people to try to solve problems by saying more money was the answer without providing evidence.

Asked if it was a case of "less whingeing and more getting on with the job", Laming replied that it was.

However, he added that the self-audit of each social services department is currently carrying out, would show if more money was needed.

Criticisms by the ADSS that the proposed children and families board to ensure greater accountability for children’s services in local authorities did "not sit easily" with the new local government structures, were also dismissed by Laming.

The argument put forward by the ADSS "doesn’t convince me in the slightest", he said, adding "it is just another example of people being worried about internal processes and not about outcomes for children".

Laming also made clear that he was not advocating the creation of a children’s commissioner.

Committee chairperson David Hincliffe MP asked why Laming had not given a clearer emphasis to such a role "which has worked very well in Wales", but Laming said he did not believe that a commissioner could achieve his objectives.

He added that he envisaged the role as one that would be accountable for good delivery of services, and would have "teeth", rather than be an advocate of children’s rights.