§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals have been made, or studies sanctioned, by the Council of Ministers of the European Community concerning a convention on family law, including issues relative to custody of children following divorce. [31595]
Mr. John M. TaylorI have been asked to reply.
In June 1994 the Council of Ministers instructed a working group of experts to prepare a draft convention on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters. In June 1995, the Council considered a progress report on this exercise and agreed that work on it should continue under the Spanish presidency and that the working group should continue to look into the possibilities of the convention covering custody orders made ancillary to divorce proceedings.