§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to set up independent agencies to provide services to prospective United Kingdom intercountry adopters. [25814]
§ Mr. BoatengThe first voluntary adoption society to be approved to carry out work on intercountry adoption was in June 1997; a second adoption society has applied to the Department to be approved to provide intercountry adoption services to prospective adopters.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the range of charges imposed for home study reports on intercountry adoption; [25810]
(2) if he will introduce controls on the charges made for home study reports for intercountry adoption. [25809]
§ Mr. BoatengCharges made for the preparation and assessment of prospective adopters who wish to adopt children from overseas are a matter for each local authority and voluntary adoption society.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department funded on intercountry adoption in the past six years; what was the cost of research; and if he will publish it. [25812]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Department funded a study of children adopted from Romania by residents of the United Kingdom. The project began in January 1993 and ended in December 1997. The total cost of the project was £742,860. We are currently awaiting the final report.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure all adopters can obtain a home study report for intercountry adoption. [25807]
§ Mr. BoatengAll local authorities either undertake home study assessments of prospective intercountry adopters themselves or arrange for them to be carried out on their behalf. We issued comprehensive guidance in May 1997 to enable local authorities and adoption agencies to carry out these assessments.
429W
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to introduce legislation to update the law on adoption. [25806]
§ Mr. BoatengWe have no plans at present to introduce a Bill to bring further adoption legislation. However, we shall do so as soon as parliamentary time allows.