§ Mr. Ancramasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will make a statement about the Government's consideration of the recommendations on divorce made in chapter 10 of the report of the Royal Commission on legal services in Scotland—Cmnd, 7846.
The Solicitor-General for ScotlandMy noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State have now considered carefully the Royal Commission's recommendations on divorce in the light of the many comments made on them. They have decided to introduce at a suitable opportunity legislation to give the sheriff court concurrent jurisdiction with the Court of Session in actions of divorce and to enable the courts to dispense with the requirement for corroboration in undefended divorce actions; it is also proposed that a simplified procedure for certain undefended divorce actions, based on the recommendations of the Cowie committee, be introduced as soon as possible, initially in the Court of Session and thereafter in the sheriff court; and that the central research unit of the Scottish Office should carry out research into the exercise by the courts of their functions in relation to the welfare and custody of children involved in divorce actions.