§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many schedule 1 offenders have been granted unsupervised contact orders in each year since 1999. [68208]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe Department keeps routine statistics on the numbers of applications for contact and orders made but does not keep information about the party in whose favour an order was made. When considering making a contact order the court has the child's welfare as its paramount consideration. This includes taking into account any harm a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering.
§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on how contact arrangements will be made safe for children before new measures are introduced; and how she will enforce contact orders. [682121
§ Ms Rosie WintertonWhen considering applications for contact the court is obliged to make the welfare of the child its paramount concern. This includes considering any harm a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering. The court can attach conditions to contact and make orders for the protection of children and their parents in any family proceedings. In addition to case law and the Guidelines prepared by the Children Act Sub Committee of the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Board on Family Law (CASC), the Department is considering possible amendments to court rules to ensure consistency in the treatment of applications for contact where there are allegations of violence. The Department is also facilitating the Child Contact Centre Working Group. The group is prioritising measures to ensure the safety of those using such services. The Government are considering the recommendations of CASC's report 'Making Contact Work' on the facilitation and enforcement of contact and will be making an initial response shortly. Ensuring contact is safe is a key consideration.
§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many contact orders under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 were(a) refused and (b) granted in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2001. [68213]
§ Vera BairdTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many contact orders were(a) granted and (b)s refused under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 in (i) 1999, (iii) 2000 and (iii) 2001. [68319]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe figures sought are published annually in Judicial Statistics.
1999 2000 2001 Granted 41,862 46,070 55,030 Refused 1,752 1,276 713 Contact orders include ones made for indirect contact or supervised contact. Although no breakdown is currently available, we will be undertaking a sampling exercise later this year to obtain information on this area.
1201W
§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if courts are required to ensure contact arrangements are safe for children. [68209]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonWhen considering applications for contact the court is obliged to make the welfare of the child its paramount concern. This includes determining whether a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering harm and taking steps to protect the child and any other party to proceedings. The court can attach conditions to contact and make orders for the protection of children and their parents in any family proceedings if the court believes this is necessary, regardless of whether or not such
Title Month Length of consultation (weeks) Report of the Review Group on the Royal Peculiars July 2001 11 Administrative Court—Proposed Changes To Primary Legislation Following Sir Jeffrey July 2001 12 Bowman's Review of the Crown Office List Towards Effective Enforcement—a single piece of bailiff law and a regulatory structure July 2001 12 Payments into Court in Satisfaction of a claim August 2001 13 Report of the Review of Tribunals by Sir Andrew Leggatt August 2001 15 General Preaction Protocol October 2001 16 Damages for Future Loss: Giving the Courts the Power to Order Periodical Payments for Future March 2002 12 Loss and Care Costs in Personal Injury Cases Payments to Witnesses March 2002 12 Freezing Injunctions and Search Orders in Civil Proceedings March 2002 12 Promoting Inter-Agency Working in the Family Justice System March 2002 14 Making Decisions: Helping People Who Have Difficulty Deciding for Themselves April 2002 13 Selection Procedures for the Circuit Bench and Recordership April 2002 113 1Subject to request for extension until 22 July 2002