Divorce (Hansard, 17 June 1994)

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimate has been made of the cost of the provision of divorce information as set out in the Green Paper entitled, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

Mr. John M. Taylor
No decisions have been made about the proposals in the Government's consultation paper. When reponses to that paper have been fully considered, the Lord Chancellor will decide how best to proceed and relevant cost estimates will be prepared.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department with whom he has had consultations over the provision of divorce information as set out in the Green Paper, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

Mr. John M. Taylor
Approximately 700 responses to the consultation paper have been received. Many of those responses referred to the provision of divorce information.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what training he intends to provide for those who will be responsible for the provision of divorce information and mediation under the proposals contained in the Green Paper, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

Mr. John M. Taylor
No decisions have been made about the proposals in the consultation paper. It is therefore too early to decide what training might be required.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimate he has made of the cost of training mediators, pursuant to the proposals contained in the Green Paper, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

Mr. John M. Taylor
Depending upon the decisions which are made about the proposals in the consultation paper, an assessment would be made of the cost of any additional training of mediators.
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§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what discussions his Department has had with the Treasury about the cost of the provision of divorce information as set out in the Government's Green paper, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

Mr. John M. Taylor
Discussions between the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Treasury take place in the usual way. No final conclusions have been reached.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if it is his policy that there should be a phased take-on of work for the mediation service, pursuant to the proposals contained in the Green Paper, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

Mr. John M. Taylor
No decisions have been made about the proposals in the consultation paper. It is therefore too early to decide how they might be implemented.