§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adoptions from Romania have taken place in each of the last four years. [26493]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 11 January 2002]: The table shows how many Romanian adoption applications the Department has processed in each of the last four years.
Romanian inter-country adoption applications processed by the Department of Health Number 2001 4 2000 23 1999 8 1998 17
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has altered its policies on inter-country adoptions from Romania since 1997. [26495]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 11 January 2002]: An informal Co-operation Agreement between the Department and the Romanian Committee for Adoptions was signed on 17 February 1998. A copy of the Co-operation Agreement has been placed in the Library for information. The agreement was drawn up in consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, following the introduction of new adoption legislation in Romania in 1997. The co-operation agreement embodies the principles of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption 1993.
A one year moratorium on international adoptions from Romania was announced by the Romanian National Authority for Child Protection and Adoption, formerly 80W the Romanian Committee for Adoptions, on 13 July, following a recommendation from the European Parliament.