§ 61. Mr. BRIANTasked the Prime Minister if the Government will take into 1120 consideration the introduction of legislation which will secure that wives deserted by husbands who have gone to live in some other part of His Majesty's Dominions can obtain and enforce maintenance orders for their support; and if steps can be taken to establish Courts for this purpose in every part of the Empire to consider matrimonial cases and secure that judicially separated wives shall not be left destitute?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Colonel Amery)Legislation dealing with facilities for the enforcement in one part of the Empire of maintenance orders made in another part has been for a long time under consideration. Reciprocal legislation in parts of the Empire other than the United Kingdom will be necessary and, as various parts of the self-governing Dominions have promised to take such legislation in hand, it is hoped that a Bill may be proceeded with in Parliament in the near future. I would also invite the hon. Member's attention to the "Matrimonial Causes (Dominion Troops)" Act passed during the present Session.