§ 77. Dame Irene Wardasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the result of approaches by Her Majesty's Government to the French Government concerning the case of a child to whose French father custody was awarded and which award was reversed on appeal by the British High Court.
§ Mr. KershawThe child, as a French national domiciled and resident in France, is within the jurisdiction of the French courts, to which her mother can apply, and it would not be appropriate to make formal representations to the French Government. It may be possible, however, for Mrs. Desramault to obtain legal aid in France to open civil proceedings in a French court. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has asked our Ambassador in Paris to provide whatever help is possible in this connection.