HC Deb 12 June 1997 vol 295 cc547-8W
Mr. Kidney

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many parental responsibility orders have been made; and how many parental responsibility agreements have been registered each year in England and Wales since the implementation of the Children Act 1989. [2155]

Mr. Hoon

The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. David Kidney, dated 12 June 1997: The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of parental responsibility orders made and parental responsibility agreements registered each year in England and Wales since the implementation of the Children Act 1989. The Children Act 1989 came into force in October 1991. The information you requested has therefore been collected since then and is as follows:

Parental responsibility orders made Parental responsibility agreements registered
1991 (October to December) 175 263
1992 2,492 2,951
1993 3,377 4,422
1994 3,893 5,506
1995 4,483 3,594
1996 5,687 3,586

(These figures are for county court, High Court and Family proceeding court private law Children Act cases).