§ Sir John StanleyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the Government's policy is on the EU proposal for a Council Regulation on Mutual Recognition of Decisions on Parental Responsibility; if he will place a copy of the current text of the Proposal in the Library; and whether the current text will be detrimental to the effective operation of the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction between EU member states. [87246]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe Government support the underlying aim of this proposal, namely to extend the principle of mutual recognition to all decisions on parental responsibility by establishing a clear and coherent set of rules for attributing jurisdiction, and putting in place arrangements for co-operation between the courts and central authorities of member states. Agreement was reached at a Council of Ministers meeting on 29 November, on revised provisions relating to child abduction. The Government support strongly these additional measures which will, for intra-EU cases, augment the 1980 Hague Convention without affecting its operation, and have met with approval in the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference. A copy of this agreement has been placed in the House of Commons Library.