§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which other EC countries have developed reciprocal systems for ensuring absent parents contribute towards the maintenance of their children.
§ Mr. John PattenAll EC countries are party to conventions which facilitate the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of child maintenance. In the past, not all have invested the same effort as the United Kingdom in the enforcement process, and we have played a leading part in the preparation of a new convention. We signed this last year and have already met its requirements for some time. The convention will establish common administrative arrangements to support previous international agreements.