§ Margaret MoranTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will list the targets for each year since 1997 set for the Lord Chancellor's Department to increase the number of contact orders in family proceedings. [62437]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe Lord Chancellor's Department first adopted a target 'to increase continued contact between children and the non-resident parent after a family breakdown, where this is in the best interest of the child', following the 2000 Spending Review. This target has not changed since then. The Department has set up a programme for the delivery of this target, including establishing a baseline for contact and setting up stakeholder groups to look at all aspects of contact, including the safety of both children and their parents.
§ Margaret MoranTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what recent advice the Lord Chancellor has received regarding(a) Articles 12, 3 and 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and (b) the Human Rights Act 1998 in respect of private law cases involving child contact orders. [62427]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonAdvice to Ministers routinely covers the compliance of legislation and policy both with the Human Rights Act 1998 and with international Conventions that the UK has signed or ratified. This includes the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.