HL Deb 15 November 1983 vol 444 cc1276-8WA
Lord McCluskey

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (a) in how many cases, during the five-year period commencing 1st November 1978,were appeals marked to the Inner House of the Court of Session against decisions of inferior courts granting or refusing the crave of an adoption petition;
  2. (b) in how many such cases was the appeal determined after a contested hearing in the Inner House;
  3. (c) in cases determined after a contested hearing in the Inner House what was (i) the average time (ii) the 1277 longest time, that elapsed between the date when the intention to appeal, or the appeal itself, was first intimated to the Court of Session, and the determination of the appeal.

The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Lord Gray of Contin)

The information requested is:

  1. (a) During the five-year period commencing 1st November 1978, 19 appeals were marked to the Inner House of the Court of Session against 1278 decisions of inferior courts granting or refusing the crave of an adoption petition.
  2. (b) Four cases were determined after a contested hearing in the Inner House.
  3. (c) The time elapsing between the date of intimation of the appeal to the Court of Session and determination of the appeal in the four cases in which there was a contested hearing was five months, six months, 11 months and 33 months, giving an average of approximately 14 months.