To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether a Minister in her Department leads on policy on supporting children through parental separation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether a Minister in her Department leads on policy on supporting children through parental separation.

Letter dated 11/01/2024 from Viscount Younger of Leckie to Baroness Sherlock regarding questions raised in the Child Support (Management of Payments and Arrears and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 debate: research on why some parents choose not to have a child maintenance arrangement, and Child Maintenance Service email campaigns. 2p.

Letter dated 11/01/2024 from Viscount Younger of Leckie to Baroness Sherlock regarding questions raised in the Child Support (Management of Payments and Arrears and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 debate: research on why some parents choose not to have a child maintenance arrangement, and Child Maintenance Service email campaigns. 2p.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2023 to Question 165225 on Marriage Fraud, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of collecting data on allegations relating to fraudulent marriage; and how many Public Statement: Relationship No...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2023 to Question 165225 on Marriage Fraud, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of collecting data on allegations relating to fraudulent marriage; and how many Public Statement: Relationship No...

Information on where the child will live, who has responsibility and making a child maintenance arrangement when parents are not together.

Information on where the child will live, who has responsibility and making a child maintenance arrangement when parents are not together.

Motion that this House has considered the terminology used in family law. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered the terminology used in family law. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the terminology used in family law.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Nokes, not least as I know you are a huge champion of families, and when you looked after relationship work in the Department for Work and Pensions...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the terminology used in family law.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Nokes, not least as I know you are a huge champion of families, and when you looked after relationship work in the Department for Work and Pensions...

In the time I have had the privilege of knowing the hon. Lady, she has addressed these issues with a deep interest and knowledge, and I thank her for that. In children and family courts, children often hear big and complicated words without knowing their meaning, but they know the...

In the time I have had the privilege of knowing the hon. Lady, she has addressed these issues with a deep interest and knowledge, and I thank her for that. In children and family courts, children often hear big and complicated words without knowing their meaning, but they know the...

I thank the hon. Member for Strangford for what was, as usual, a thoughtful intervention. He is absolutely right. The language we all use, whether it is in the media or in the legal system and court documents, can be changed. It will not be easy—we all use terminology that...

I thank the hon. Member for Strangford for what was, as usual, a thoughtful intervention. He is absolutely right. The language we all use, whether it is in the media or in the legal system and court documents, can be changed. It will not be easy—we all use terminology that...

As a former magistrate in the family proceedings court, I completely agree that when people come for contact arrangements with their children, very often the magistrates are acting in the role of mediator and helping them to come to a decision in the court. Does my hon. Friend agree that...

As a former magistrate in the family proceedings court, I completely agree that when people come for contact arrangements with their children, very often the magistrates are acting in the role of mediator and helping them to come to a decision in the court. Does my hon. Friend agree that...

I agree. It is not a good use of magistrates’ time, either. This is not easy for parents—nobody should suggest that they rush to court, because often that is not the case. At the moment, parents think that court is the only place to go to get disputes resolved. That...

I agree. It is not a good use of magistrates’ time, either. This is not easy for parents—nobody should suggest that they rush to court, because often that is not the case. At the moment, parents think that court is the only place to go to get disputes resolved. That...

I agree with what the hon. Lady is saying. The problem is that there are insufficient resources in mediation services, but if we invested in them, we could make savings further down the road within the court system and the Ministry of Justice. Is that something she would encourage?

I agree with what the hon. Lady is saying. The problem is that there are insufficient resources in mediation services, but if we invested in them, we could make savings further down the road within the court system and the Ministry of Justice. Is that something she would encourage?

It is absolutely fantastic to hear the hon. Gentleman talk about mediation. There has actually been a lot of investment in mediation. The demand went up an awful lot when we had a voucher system, which we may hear about from the Minister. Where demand has gone up, we need...

It is absolutely fantastic to hear the hon. Gentleman talk about mediation. There has actually been a lot of investment in mediation. The demand went up an awful lot when we had a voucher system, which we may hear about from the Minister. Where demand has gone up, we need...

As ever, it is a joy to serve with you in the Chair, Ms Nokes. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Siobhan Baillie) for securing a debate on this important topic. It is a topic on which I know she has campaigned for quite some time and...

As ever, it is a joy to serve with you in the Chair, Ms Nokes. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Siobhan Baillie) for securing a debate on this important topic. It is a topic on which I know she has campaigned for quite some time and...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether post separation abuse is a prosecutable offence under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether post separation abuse is a prosecutable offence under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

Thank you, Mr Speaker —[Interruption.] Oh—I think I felt a kick there!

The damage to children from sustained parental conflict can be devastating. Last night I spoke at an event for the Family Solutions Group alongside the president of the family division and leading lights in the family law world. We...

Thank you, Mr Speaker —[Interruption.] Oh—I think I felt a kick there!

The damage to children from sustained parental conflict can be devastating. Last night I spoke at an event for the Family Solutions Group alongside the president of the family division and leading lights in the family law world. We...

My hon. Friend is probably not the first person to get a kicking in this place, but probably the first to get one internally. She brings an enormous amount of expertise to this place from her former career. I know that a lot of MPs have cases in which divorce...

My hon. Friend is probably not the first person to get a kicking in this place, but probably the first to get one internally. She brings an enormous amount of expertise to this place from her former career. I know that a lot of MPs have cases in which divorce...

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.