§ 25. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will implement the recommendation of the Departmental Committee on the adoption of children to prohibit the removal of children for adoption abroad by persons other than guardians or relatives or the grantees of licences for this purpose.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeI would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Accrington (Mr. H. Hynd) on 11th November.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonWhile the right hon. and gallant Gentleman and his successors are struggling with this report and deciding what to do, may I ask whether he is aware that, despite the court proceedings at Bow Street after Miss Jane Russell took a child to America, it is far too easy to take children out of the country illegally? Would the right hon. and gallant Gentleman adopt the recommendation suggested in this committee's report and, in the meantime, keep a watch on the airports and seaports to ensure that there is no irregular traffic of this character?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeNo doubt the hon. and gallant Gentleman will agree that these cases are not very prevalent. They are quite rare. There is no reason for singling out one recommendation for particular action. The report is now being studied, and practically all its recommendations involve legislation.