§ Ms Oona KingTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many children have been returned from(a) Greece to England and Wales and (b) England and Wales to Greece under the Hague Convention since the United Kingdom's accession to the Convention. [105847]
§ Jane KennedyThe 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction came into force between the United Kingdom and Greece in 1993. From 1993 to the end of 1999 there were 25 cases of abduction from England and Wales to Greece with 11 returns (44 per cent. of applications made) and 48 cases of abduction to England and Wales with 22 returns (46 per cent. of applications received. Cases may involve more than one child.
§ Ms Oona KingTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the next international review by member state signatories of the Hague Convention on child abduction will take place; and if he will press for common procedures to be enforced in signatory countries. [105845]
§ Jane KennedyThe next Special Commission of the Hague Conference to review the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction will be held in the spring of 2001. Contracting states of the Hague Convention have committed themselves to operate the provisions of the Convention and to do so in accordance with the terms under which it has been incorporated into their national law. The Government recognise that the operation of international conventions involves the alignment of different jurisdictions and different traditions of law and society.
§ Ms Oona KingTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many children have been abducted to each of the signatory states of the Hague Convention since the United Kingdom's accession; and what proportion of such children has been returned by each of those states. [105846]
§ Jane KennedyFigures for the number of cases of abduction from England and Wales dealt with under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction since the Convention came into force between the United Kingdom and each contracting state, and the percentage of returns, are set out in the table. Cases may involve more than one child. Cases may be resolved satisfactorily between the parents otherwise than by a return.
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Total number of cases between England and Wales and other contracting states involving children removed from England and Wales since convention in force Country Date in force with UK Total cases Number of cases where return effected Success rate (percentage) Argentina 1991 1 0 — Australia 1987 112 68 61 Austria 1988 7 3 43 Bahamas 1994 — — — Belgium 1999 2 1 50 Belize 1989 — — — Bosnia 1992 2 0 — Burkina Faso 1992 — — — Canada 1986 62 31 50 Chile 1994 — — — Colombia 1996 1 0 — Croatia 1991 3 2 66 Cyprus 1995 10 5 50 Czech Republic 1998 — — — Denmark 1991 14 9 64 Ecuador 1992 — — — Federal Yugoslavia 1992 2 0 — Finland 1994 3 2 66 France 1986 110 39 35 Georgia 1997 — — — Germany 1990 80 28 35 Greece 1993 25 11 44 Honduras 1994 — — — Hong Kong 1997 5 4 80 Hungary 1986 5 1 20 Iceland 1996 — — — Ireland 1991 209 126 60 Israel 1991 7 3 43 Italy 1995 21 12 57 Luxembourg 1987 1 0 — Macedonia 1991 — — — Mauritius 1993 2 1 50 Mexico 1991 4 0 — Monaco 1993 — — — Netherlands 1990 56 23 41 New Zealand 1991 38 21 55 Norway 1989 14 10 71 Panama 1991 — — — Poland 1992 7 3 43
Total number of cases between England and Wales and other contracting states involving children removed from England and Wales since convention in force Country Date in force with UK Total cases Number of cases where return effected Success rate (percentage) Portugal 1986 18 7 39 Romania 1993 1 1 100 Slovenia 1994 1 0 — South Africa 1997 9 0 — Spain 1987 122 70 57 St.Kitts and Nevis 1994 1 1 100 Sweden 1989 18 10 55 Switzerland 1986 13 5 38 Turkmenistan 1998 — — — USA 1988 324 170 52 Venezuela 1997 1 0 — Zimbabwe 1995 3 1 33 Overall Total 1,314 668 51