§ Mr. Ewingasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing how many divorces were granted by the Scottish courts in each of the last three years to February, 1972, how many prosecutions took place as a result of husbands failing to obey court orders for maintenance in the same three-year period, and how many of the divorce cases referred to were assisted by legal aid.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellFailure to obey a court order for maintenance is not a criminal offence in Scotland and the question of prosecutions does not therefore arise. Information about divorces and legal aid is not readily available for the periods mentioned in the Question, but the figures for the three most recent complete years are:
(1) NUMBER OF DIVORCES GRANTED 1969 … … 4,215 1970 … … 4,589 1971 … … 4,785 NoteThe above figure for the number of divorces granted in Scottish courts in 1971 corrects the figure given in a written reply to the hon. Member for Cathcart on 2nd February (vol. 830, col.119), which I regret was inaccurate.
(2) NUMBER OF LEGAL AID CERTIFICATES GRANTED (TO ONE OR BOTH PARTIES) IN RESPECT OF ACTIONS FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE Year ended 31st March 1969 … 5,140 Year ended 31st March, 1970 … 5,296 Year ended 31st March, 1971 … 5,246