§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will initiate legislation to extend the magistrates courts powers to include protecting any children living with the applicant, in addition to the current protecting of only children of the family.
§ Mr. John PattenThe Law Commission is reviewing the civil law on domestic violence, which is in need of rationalisation; and I do not think it would be sensible to bring forward legislative proposals on a piecemeal basis in advance of consideration of the commission's proposals as a whole.