§ Mr. Stanleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the outcome of the discussion of the draft convention on the international enforcement of custody and wardship orders at the meeting held in September by a committee of experts in the Council of Europe;
(2) what date has been fixed for a discussion of child kidnapping by the Hague Conference on Private International Law; and whether his Department will be submitting to the conference proposals for improving the tracing of kidnapped children who are taken abroad.
(3) what progress has been made by the Commonwealth Secretariat in following up the discussion at the Commonwealth Law Ministers' Conference in August 1977 of the possibility of an agreement on the mutual enforcement of custody and wardship orders.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees:My right hon. Friends and I understand that the Hague Conference on Private International Law will be considering child kidnapping in 1980, and this will be preceded by a special commission meeting in the spring of 1979. The hon. Member's point will be drawn to the attention of the United Kingdom's representatives at these discussions. The framing of a draft convention is still under discussion in the Council of Europe committee of experts to which the hon. Member refers. I understand that the Commonwealth Secretariat has commissioned a study of problems of custody conflicts within the Commonwealth and 720W has had some informal preparatory discussion with the Law Commission.