§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on how many occasions in the last five years the Official Solicitor has appeared in cases involving applications for obstetric interventions without the consent of the patient, and(a) in how many of these he acted as (i) guardian ad litem and (ii) amicus curiae, (b) on how many occasions the application resulted in an order, (c) in how many the use of force was explicitly authorised by the court, (d) in how many cases the patient was detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and (e) in how many cases the patient was under the age of 18 years. [1844]
§ Mr. StreeterThe Official Solicitor has appeared in four cases in the last five years involving applications for obstetric interventions—emergency caesarean sections—without the consent of the patient,(a) in two cases he has acted as guardian ad litem and two as amicus curiae; (b) in each case an order authorising a caesarean section was made; (c) in two cases the use of force was explicitly authorised by the court; (d) two of the patients were detained under the Mental Health Act 1983; (e) none of the patients was under the age of 18 years. In three of the cases an emergency caesarean was performed. In one case a normal vaginal delivery took place.
§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance the president of the family division has issued to judges in the family division relating to applications for court orders for obstetric interventions without the consent of the patient. [1845]
§ Mr. StreeterNo guidance has been issued by the president of the family division on these matters. Every such application is to be considered by the judge concerned according to its merits.