§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Attorney-General if the procedures to be established under clause 69 of the Children Bill[Lords] will be the same regardless of which court is hearing the procedures.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Government are considering how far, given the different constitutions and structures of magistrates' and county courts and the high court, the procedure under the Bill in those courts can be aligned.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Attorney-General if the procedures to be established under clause 69 of the Children Bill[Lords] will follow the procedures currently followed in matrimonial proceedings and under the Guardianship of Minors Acts.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe procedures relating to proceedings under the Bill are still under consideration but will be designed to protect the interests of all those who may be affected and to ensure an expeditious disposal of the issues in the light of the fullest evidence using, where appropriate, procedures currently employed in cases affecting children.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Attorney-General if the rules to be made under clause 70 of the Children Bill[Lords] will provide for children and parents to be made parties automatically in all proceedings governed by the Bill.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNo. Where parents wish to make an application or their legal position may be affected by proceedings they will be given the right to be joined in those proceedings. Children are to be parties automatically to proceedings relating to care, supervision and emergency orders. In other proceeding they will be parties if they are applying for an order in those proceedings and in other cases the courts will have power to join them as parties.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Attorney-General if the rules to be made under clause 70 of the Children Bill[Lords] will provide for all other persons who are either entitled to make applications within the Bill or given leave to make applications within the Bill, to be made parties automatically in all proceedings in which they are making the application.
§ The Attorney-GeneralYes.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to seek to ensure that all cases in all courts relating to children are heard on consecutive days.
§ The Attorney-GeneralIt is the intention that all cases relating to children will be dealt with expeditiously and that a system of court management should ensure that such cases are heard on consecutive days. In the high court such a facility already exists. In the county courts the further development of continuous hearing centres and the deployment of circuit judges and registrars with special responsibilities for child care cases should also ensure that cases are heard to their conclusion.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Attorney-General if he has proposals to increase the number of magistrates and judges available in higher courts with experience of cases relating to children.
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§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Government recognise that cases involving children need to be handled with particular sensitivity. There are already many magistrates and judges with experience of dealing with such cases. The judicial studies board is currently considering the need for training in this area.