My Right Honourable Friend, The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Dr Thérèse Coffey MP) has made the following Written Statement.

The Department for Work and Pensions has today published annual statistics covering 2019/20 including on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) and Separated Families. HBAI covers a range of information,...

My Right Honourable Friend, The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Dr Thérèse Coffey MP) has made the following Written Statement.

The Department for Work and Pensions has today published annual statistics covering 2019/20 including on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) and Separated Families. HBAI covers a range of information,...

The Department for Work and Pensions has today published annual statistics covering 2019/20 including on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) and Separated Families. HBAI covers a range of information, including household incomes and a range of low-income indicators for 2019/20, derived from the Family Resources Survey of around 20,000 households.

Between...

The Department for Work and Pensions has today published annual statistics covering 2019/20 including on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) and Separated Families. HBAI covers a range of information, including household incomes and a range of low-income indicators for 2019/20, derived from the Family Resources Survey of around 20,000 households.

Between...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the use of the Public statement: relationship no longer subsisting forms.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the use of the Public statement: relationship no longer subsisting forms.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Public statement: relationship no longer subsisting forms were received by the her Department in in each month since 2016.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Public statement: relationship no longer subsisting forms were received by the her Department in in each month since 2016.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) arrests, and (b) deportations have been made as a result of Public statement: relationship no longer subsisting forms received by the Home Office since 2016.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) arrests, and (b) deportations have been made as a result of Public statement: relationship no longer subsisting forms received by the Home Office since 2016.

New clause 25 (Repeal of provisions about defence for controlling or coercive behaviour offence) debated and withdrawn. New clause 28 (Controlling or coercive behaviour offence) debated and withdrawn. New clause 29 (Domestic Abuse: immigration and nationality legal aid), debated with new clause 35 (Victims of domestic abuse: leave to remain) and new clause 36 (Recourse to public funds for domestic abuse survivors), under discussion.

New clause 25 (Repeal of provisions about defence for controlling or coercive behaviour offence) debated and withdrawn. New clause 28 (Controlling or coercive behaviour offence) debated and withdrawn. New clause 29 (Domestic Abuse: immigration and nationality legal aid), debated with new clause 35 (Victims of domestic abuse: leave to remain)...

Committee stage. Clause 1, discussed with amendments, new clauses 1 to 6 and 9, clauses 2 to 9, and the schedule to the Bill. Clause 1 agreed to. Clauses 2 to 8 agreed to. Government amendment made to clause 9, with the clause agreed to as amended. New clause 1 negatived on division (31 to 400). Schedule agreed to. Bill, as amended, reported. Report stage. Agreed to on question. Third reading. Agreed to on question. Bill passed, with amendments.

Committee stage. Clause 1, discussed with amendments, new clauses 1 to 6 and 9, clauses 2 to 9, and the schedule to the Bill. Clause 1 agreed to. Clauses 2 to 8 agreed to. Government amendment made to clause 9, with the clause agreed to as amended. New clause 1...

First, I associate myself with the comments from my colleague and good friend on the Front Bench, my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton North (Alex Cunningham), who gave us a clear outline of where the Labour party and the Opposition are on the amendments that have been tabled.

I rise...

First, I associate myself with the comments from my colleague and good friend on the Front Bench, my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton North (Alex Cunningham), who gave us a clear outline of where the Labour party and the Opposition are on the amendments that have been tabled.

I rise...

I beg to move amendment 1, page 2, line 8, leave out “20” and insert “46”

This amendment would extend the minimum legal period for a divorce from six months to one year (with the additional six weeks between the conditional and final orders).

I beg to move amendment 1, page 2, line 8, leave out “20” and insert “46”

This amendment would extend the minimum legal period for a divorce from six months to one year (with the additional six weeks between the conditional and final orders).

This Bill is a bad Bill. It sends out the wrong message at the wrong time. No-fault divorce is really state-approved unilateral divorce. Ministers like to say that it is all about the divorce process and not about marriage. They are wrong. The removal of fault sends out the signal...

This Bill is a bad Bill. It sends out the wrong message at the wrong time. No-fault divorce is really state-approved unilateral divorce. Ministers like to say that it is all about the divorce process and not about marriage. They are wrong. The removal of fault sends out the signal...

I thank the hon. Lady for her considerable contribution in setting the scene for us. She and I have a very similar outlook on life, as I believe others in this House have as well. Is it her intention to ensure, through her amendments and new clauses, that services to...

I thank the hon. Lady for her considerable contribution in setting the scene for us. She and I have a very similar outlook on life, as I believe others in this House have as well. Is it her intention to ensure, through her amendments and new clauses, that services to...

I absolutely agree—indeed, not just from the very beginning of a marriage, but from before it, as I shall mention shortly when I refer to new clause 1.

I return to the important point that a great many family breakdowns may be a lot more salvageable than is commonly assumed, and...

I absolutely agree—indeed, not just from the very beginning of a marriage, but from before it, as I shall mention shortly when I refer to new clause 1.

I return to the important point that a great many family breakdowns may be a lot more salvageable than is commonly assumed, and...

The hon. Lady is most gracious in giving way. She will understand and agree with me and probably others that churches offer such services. Is it possible within this legislation, with the extra money that will come through if the new clause is accepted, for the Government to work alongside...

The hon. Lady is most gracious in giving way. She will understand and agree with me and probably others that churches offer such services. Is it possible within this legislation, with the extra money that will come through if the new clause is accepted, for the Government to work alongside...

When we had the Second Reading debate on the Bill not so long ago, the Lord Chancellor made the very good observation that if we were serious about strengthening marriages and relationships in this country, we needed to do so through what was termed

“the right end of the telescope”.—[Official Report,...

When we had the Second Reading debate on the Bill not so long ago, the Lord Chancellor made the very good observation that if we were serious about strengthening marriages and relationships in this country, we needed to do so through what was termed

“the right end of the telescope”.—[Official Report,...

My hon. Friend is making a compelling argument on an amendment that seeks to make what most sensible people would regard as a modest change to the Bill, which is simply to say that where we can support reconciliation, we will do so. The Government have been offered that compromise,...

My hon. Friend is making a compelling argument on an amendment that seeks to make what most sensible people would regard as a modest change to the Bill, which is simply to say that where we can support reconciliation, we will do so. The Government have been offered that compromise,...

I agree with what my right hon. Friend says.

Eagle-eyed observers of the amendment paper will have noted that new clause 1, in the name of my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce), and amendment 7 are identical. In fact, I have a confession to make to the House:...

I agree with what my right hon. Friend says.

Eagle-eyed observers of the amendment paper will have noted that new clause 1, in the name of my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce), and amendment 7 are identical. In fact, I have a confession to make to the House:...

I rise to speak in support of amendment 1 tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce), and in so doing I take this opportunity to praise her, particularly for all the work that she does in this and so many other areas, and our former colleague,...

I rise to speak in support of amendment 1 tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce), and in so doing I take this opportunity to praise her, particularly for all the work that she does in this and so many other areas, and our former colleague,...

I rise to speak to new clause 3, which stands in my name. It would replicate Scottish law, which replaces the two and five-year separation with a no-fault divorce after one year. It is a moderate compromise and I have no doubt that the Government will accept it.

I believe the...

I rise to speak to new clause 3, which stands in my name. It would replicate Scottish law, which replaces the two and five-year separation with a no-fault divorce after one year. It is a moderate compromise and I have no doubt that the Government will accept it.

I believe the...

But it is even worse than that because, as the Law Society points out, the respondent might not even know that they were being divorced. It will usually be a lady who is divorced by a man who has gone, as my right hon. Friend has described, and they might...

But it is even worse than that because, as the Law Society points out, the respondent might not even know that they were being divorced. It will usually be a lady who is divorced by a man who has gone, as my right hon. Friend has described, and they might...