Written question asked by Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone (Conservative) on Monday, 1 March 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 March 1999. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Monday, 8 March 1999 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the NFM Tavistock Institute research project on mediation in public law and social services departments.

Answer: Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the NFM Tavistock Institute research project on mediation in public law and social services departments. [74680] Mr. Hutton: In 1995 the Department funded a pilot project on child protection mediation. The report highlighted the advantages of effective dispute resolution as well as the difficulties of ensuring full inter-agency co-operation. The small number of cases involved suggest that further developmental work will be needed if advance dispute resolution is to make a major contribution in the handling of public law cases.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 327 c83W; 74680
Session: 1998-99
Subjects: Pilot schemes Research Social services Public law Tavistock Institute of Human Relations