§ Mr. Woodhouseasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidance to magistrates to ensure that in divorce and matrimonial cases advice is invariably sought from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children or similarly qualified organisations on the consequences affecting children of the marriage.
§ Mr. CarlisleMagistrates' courts have no jurisdiction in divorce. In matrimonial proceedings they already have discretionary powers, which are widely used, to call for a report from a probation officer or an officer of a local authority on any matters concerning the welfare of children which appear to the court to be relevant. I do not think that any further guidance is required.