§ 34. Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will take steps to promote the concept of mediation in the civil and family law systems in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [37961]
§ Mr. StreeterIn England and Wales my Department has developed a number of initiatives to encourage the use of mediation where it is appropriate. In January of this year, my Department published the guide, "Resolving Disputes Without Going to Court". It contains information on a range of alternatives to litigation and is available free from county courts. A pilot scheme has been introduced at the Central London county court to help people settle a wide range of disputes through mediation.
The Family Law Act 1996 contains measures designed to promote the use of family mediation as an alternative to litigation. The reforms of the legal aid scheme that the Lord Chancellor announced in July would allow new types of service to be provided under legal aid. Family mediation will he an early priority and, in time, the scheme could be extended to allow civil mediation services to be provided to people who qualify for legal aid.