HC Deb 06 May 2003 vol 404 c657W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) Regulations. [109954]

Jacqui Smith

The Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) Regulations 2003 were finalised after taking into accountThe 39 responses to the public consultation held between November 2001 and February 2002 on the draft Regulations and guidance, and The comments made by key interest groups at a meeting with officials arranged to discuss the draft Regulations after they had been revised in the light of the consultation responses.

A summary of the consultation responses will be published together with the final version of the guidance in May.

No formal representations have been received since the Regulations were made on 26 January 2003. However, departmental officials have received one email from a social services adoption manager, who wished to clarify a number of drafting points.