HC Deb 28 February 2000 vol 345 c42W
Mr. Kidney

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what plans he has to establish family courts in England and Wales; [111889]

(2) what recent representations he has received in favour of establishing family courts in England and Wales; [111890]

(3) what studies he has commissioned into the costs and benefits of establishing family courts in England and Wales. [111891]

Jane Kennedy

The Children Act 1989, which came into effect in October 1991, introduced a unified family court system in England and Wales including the Family Proceedings Courts (Magistrates' Courts), County Courts and the High Court. From the beginning of 1999 to date I have received one representation suggesting changes to this system. No studies have been commissioned into the costs and benefits of establishing another system of family courts in England and Wales. There are no current plans to change the set up of this unified system.