§ Mr. John GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking in relation to children coming to this country from Romania for adoption.
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§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyI understand that the Romanian Adoption Committee is not at present authorising arrangements for overseas adoption pending agreement with foreign Governments on the arrangements to be made. A delegation of officials from the Department is at present in Romania and I hope that a voluntary working arrangement can shortly be agreed on behalf of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. CarringtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will establish a helpline for local authorities and prospective adopters seeking information on adoption from overseas.
§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made with setting up a helpline for inter-country adoption; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyWe have now reached an agreement with the Bridge Child Care Consultancy who will host the project to start as soon as possible. The Bridge is a well-established registered charity with a reputation for work with children in substitute families and I am confident that they will provide an excellent base for this project. The objective of the project is to provide a service of sound information on intercountry adoptions arid for prospective adopters themselves. The project will not arrange adoptions for particular children.
The grant of the order of £43,000 will be for six months in the first instance during which time requirements for the service will be assessed.
The project will be steered by a board on to which I am inviting members from statutory and voluntary sector.