Wards of Court (Hansard, 21 April 1989)

§ Mrs. Ann Winterton
To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions over the last 12 months for which figures are available the medical evidence submitted in proceedings in the High Court in Leeds in cases pertaining to the medical treatment of wards of court has been withheld from the public and the media.
310W

§ The Attorney-General
The information requested is not available but generally it is the practice for the courts hearing wardship cases to sit in private.

§ Mrs. Ann Winterton
To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions over the last 12 months for which figures are available proceedings in the High Court in Leeds pertaining to the medical treatment of wards of court have been held in camera.

§ The Attorney-General
This information is not available but the general practice of the courts is to hear wardship cases in private.

§ Mrs. Ann Winterton
To ask the Attorney-General if he will make it his policy to ensure that the Official Solicitor routinely seeks a second medical opinion when he is acting on behalf of minors who are wards of court in proceedings pertaining to their access to medical treatment.

§ The Attorney-General
Where an independent medical report is needed in relation to wardship proceedings in which the Official Solicitor is acting as the ward's guardian ad litem, subject to the court's permission he routinely obtains one.

§ Mrs. Ann Winterton
To ask the Attorney-General if he has any plans to request a report from Mr. Justice Ward of the family division of the Leeds High Court into the public interest implications of his reported decision to instruct doctors to treat a ward of court to die.

§ The Attorney-General
No. The exercise of the wardship jurisdiction is a judicial function and it would not therefore be appropriate for any member of the Government to ask a judge to report to him on any aspect of his decision in an individual case. The Lord Chancellor is, however, having inquiries made into the background to these proceedings, including obtaining a copy of any judgment, and will consider what implications there may be.