HL Deb 15 June 1971 vol 320 cc577-8WA
LORD GARDINER

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When—

  1. (a) Part III of the Family Law Reform Act 1969;
  2. (b) The different sections of the Administration of Justice Act 1970,
are likely to be brought into force

THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD HAILSHAM OF ST. MARYLEBONE)

I answered a Question from the noble and learned Lord about these matters on March 9. Since then:

  1. (a) Further progress has been made towards the implementation of Part III of the Family Law Reform Act 1969. I still expect to be able to bring this Part of the 1969 Act into operation some time this year;
  2. (b) On May 13, I made a commencement order (S.I. 1971/834 C. 19) bringing Part II (Enforcement of Debt), Part III (Discovery and Related Procedures) and Sections 41 to 43 (relating to costs, compensation, fines and legal aid in criminal proceedings) of the Administration of Justice Act 1970 into operation on August 2, 1971. This will leave only Sections 1 to 4, which concern the redistribution of business among the Divisions of the High Court, the establishment of the Admiralty and Commercial Courts, and the power of judges of the Commercial Court to take arbitra 578 tions, and Section 50, which concerns proof of age before magistrates. These will probably be brought into force simultaneously at some time during the next few months, but I am not yet able to say exactly when