§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what agreements there are with other states regarding international child abduction by a parent. [66261]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Hague Convention on the civil aspects of international child abduction seeks to return children who have been abducted abroad to their country of habitual residence, where issues of custody and contact can be resolved through the courts. Thereare prescribed criteria and processes for returning children under this convention. The Hague Convention is in force between the UK and 54 other countries world wide. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is exploring the possibility of establishing bi-lateral agreements with countries that are not members of the Hague Convention.
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§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with European and US counterparts regarding international child abduction by a parent. [66260]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienMember states of the European Union and the United States are all Parties to the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction. The Lord Chancellor's Department is the lead Department for cases of child abduction to and from Hague Convention countries. In March 2001, the Special Commission of the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction formally met, as it does every four years. The purpose of the Special Commission is to discuss the operation of the Convention. Representatives from the US attended the Commission, as did all EU member states.
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§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department provides in cases of abduction of a child by one of the parents from the UK to another country. [66259]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe Hague Convention is the international instrument covering cases of child abduction. Cases of child abduction involving countries which are party to the Hague Convention are dealt with by the Lord Chancellor's Department in England and Wales. The Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Courts Service deal with their own cases. The FCO can become involved in Hague Convention cases where diplomatic intervention may be of assistance to families.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is the lead Department for cases in countries which are not Party to the Hague Convention. In non-Hague Convention cases, there is no prescribed formula to facilitate the return of an abducted child. Therefore, parents must initiate proceedings in the local courts (and often also in the UK courts) for the return of their child. Consular staff, both in London and at our embassies and high commissions overseas, are able to assist parents in this procedure by, for example, helping them find a local lawyer, arranging welfare visits and attending court hearings as the legal process progresses.