§ Mr. ConnartyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many divorce settlements have made use of the provision for shared parenting in Scotland since 1 November. [9414]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonStatistics on the number of divorce settlements involving shared parenting since 1 November are not available. Courts
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All permanent staff employed in the Scottish Office and its executive agencies at 1 April 1996 Department Male Female Total Full-time Part-time Full-time Part-time Scottish Agricultural Science Agency 73 — 52 15 140 Scottish Office Pensions Agency 93 — 71 11 175 Student Awards Agency for Scotland 55 — 66 4 125 Scottish Office total (excl SPS) 2,984 20 1,873 327 5,204 Scottish Prison Service 3,797 114 584 44 4,539 will make no order under part I of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 unless it is essential to do so, and what orders are made will be particular to the needs of each case. Raw data from the courts will therefore be of limited value. The Scottish Office will, however, evaluate the impact of the provisions of part I as part of a comprehensive research programme on the operation of the provisions of the whole Act.
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§ Mr. ConnartyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines have been produced on the use of shared parenting in divorce in Scotland in relation to the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. [9415]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonNo guidelines as such on the use of shared parenting on divorce in Scotland have been produced by the Scottish Office. The interpretation of part I of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 is for the courts.