§ Matthew GreenTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many family court cases have been heard in(a) magistrates courts and(b) county courts in each of the last five years. [32998]
§ Mr. WillsFigures relating to the total number of family court cases for the five year period 1996 to 2000 are provided in the table. Figures for 2001 are currently being compiled. The figures represent the numbers of orders made under the Children Act 1989, the Domestic Violence and Matrimonial Proceedings Act 1976 and the Family Law Act 1996 (Part IV). In addition the county court figures include the number of petitions for divorce filed.
Family court cases Magistrates courts1 County courts 1996 57,904 298,409 1997 56,233 278,605 1998 70,984 312,086 1999 56,112 290,506 2000 87,977 305,107 1 Estimated figures—contain imputed data