§ 77. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to ensure that the property of children who die intestate, after having been adopted by Scottish persons, will pass to the adopted, instead of to the natural parents.
§ The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Westwood)So far as I am aware there is no general demand for a change in the law in the sense suggested, but I am willing to consider any evidence which my hon. and learned Friend may care to put forward in support of it.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Minister aware that many persons who, during the war, generously adopted children made investments in war loan and otherwise for the benefit of those children and, on the death of the children, such investments now go to the natural parents, thereby causing an injustice to the adopted parents; and does he not think it would be a good thing to remedy that state of affairs in the interests of the people who have been kind enough to adopt children?
§ Mr. WestwoodI can assure my hon. and learned Friend that the effect of a proposal such as he has made on the Scots law of succession would require very careful consideration.
§ 78. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider the advisability of making statutory provision for the adoption of infants in Scotland on lines similar to those of the Adoption of Children Act, 1926.
§ Mr. WestwoodThe Adoption of Children (Scotland) Act, which came into operation on 1st October, 1930, is On similar lines to the Adoption of Children Act, 1926, which applies to England and Wales.