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Family Justice

I must declare an interest as co-ordinator of the Justice for Families campaign. One of the critical things that we need to do in this country is improve decision making in respect of children in public law proceedings, especially in view of the number of serious case reviews. Scrutiny in the family courts is key to that, so I welcome much of the statement. I do not think that, in reversing the judgment in Clayton v. Clayton, the Government intend to cause a 17-year-old child to be unable to complain about his or her treatment, but I ask the Secretary of State to answer the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridge (David Howarth) about second opinions. Will it now be possible for a party to obtain a second opinion without the permission of the judge?