UK Parliament / Open data

Children and Adoption Bill [HL]

Debate on bills on Tuesday, 20 June 2006, in the House of Commons, led by Parmjit Dhanda. The answering member was Maria Miller.
Children and Adoption Bill (HL). Report stage. New clauses 3, 20, 21 debated and withdrawn. New clauses 4 (discussed with New Clauses 9, 11 to 13, 16, 19, 24, 25 and new schedule 1), 17 and 22 debated and negatived on division. Third reading debate. Agreed to on division (291 to 132). Bill passed with an amendment.

About these Parliamentary proceedings

Reference

447 c1204-92 

Session

2005-06

Department

Department for Education and Skills

Legislative stage

Third reading and Report stage

Procedure

New clauses

Chamber / Committee

House of Commons chamber

Related items

Children and Adoption Bill (HL). Brought from the Lords. Explanatory Notes Bill 96-EN also published.
Wednesday, 30 November 2005
Bills
House of Commons
Family justice: the operation of the family courts. Government response to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee fourth report (HC 116).
Thursday, 24 March 2005
Command papers
House of Commons
Family justice: the operation of the family courts revisited. Constitutional Affairs Select Committee sixth report with proceedings evidence (HC 1086-i not printed seperately) and appendices.
Tuesday, 6 June 2006
Parliamentary committees
House of Commons
Family justice: the operation of the family courts. Constitutional Affairs Select Committee fourth report in two volumes with proceedings, evidence (HC 116 i-iv not printed separately) and appendices.
Wednesday, 23 February 2005
Parliamentary committees
House of Commons

Proceeding contributions

Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1255-6 (Link to this contribution) I want to respond to a couple of points that the hon. Member for Basingstoke (Mrs. Miller) made. She...
Peter Bone | 447 c1256 (Link to this contribution) I want clarification on circumstances in which the mother has the child, the father is absent, the m...

Show all contributions (115)
Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1256-7 (Link to this contribution) It is a valid concern. When frivolous allegations are made, the courts will be informed of that when...
Maria Miller | 447 c1257-8 (Link to this contribution) I thank the Minister for his detailed and measured reply. He did not take part in our deliberations ...
Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1258 (Link to this contribution) Perhaps the research that Baroness Ashton has agreed to carry out will be of help to hon. Members on...
Maria Miller | 447 c1258 (Link to this contribution) I thank the Minister for that implicit acknowledgement that there is a need to review these issues. ...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1259 (Link to this contribution) I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
Speaker | 447 c1259 (Link to this contribution) With this it will be convenient to discuss the following amendments: No. 21, in page 7, line 22 [Cla...
Maria Miller | 447 c1255 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend makes a pertinent point. I had hoped that the Under-Secretary, who is new to his job,...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1255 (Link to this contribution) I want to make some brief comments about amendment No. 19. Liberal Democrat Members welcome the new ...
Speaker | 447 c1251 (Link to this contribution) With this it will be convenient to discuss the following amendments: No. 20, in page 12, line 2, lea...
Maria Miller | 447 c1251-2 (Link to this contribution) New clause 20 is an attempt to tie down some of the detail about when risk assessments are used, and...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1243 (Link to this contribution) With new clause 12, we are seeking to amend the welfare checklist in the Children Act 1989. The Mini...
Maria Miller | 447 c1251 (Link to this contribution) I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
Peter Bone | 447 c1252 (Link to this contribution) I have come across cases in my constituency where frivolous allegations have been made against the a...
Maria Miller | 447 c1253-4 (Link to this contribution) I thank my hon. Friend for his timely intervention. That is precisely the sort of problem that we ar...
David Kidney | 447 c1252 (Link to this contribution) An allegation of sexual abuse or violence towards a child is an alarm bell that should be investigat...
Maria Miller | 447 c1252 (Link to this contribution) I disagree with the hon. Gentleman. The Bill provides that, if people suspect that sexual abuse is t...
Lord Jackson of Peterborough | 447 c1254 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend makes a compelling case. Is part of the problem with the family courts the fact that ...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1204-6 (Link to this contribution) We are back here discussing these matters after a three-month gap. That is a long time and I am not ...
Speaker | 447 c1204 (Link to this contribution) With this it will be convenient to discuss the following amendments: No. 2, in clause 9, page 13, li...
Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1210-3 (Link to this contribution) This group of amendments seeks further clarification on our proposals for inter-country adoption and...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1207-9 (Link to this contribution) As the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole (Annette Brooke) said, here we are again, at last—...
Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1213 (Link to this contribution) The hon. Gentleman makes a fair point. It is in the interests of the Secretary of State and all of u...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1213 (Link to this contribution) Yes, clause 10(1) will indeed oblige the Secretary of State to keep the matter under review, but it ...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1213-4 (Link to this contribution) I will not press new clause 3 to a Division. I take heart from the Minister saying that the matter c...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1204 (Link to this contribution) I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
David Evennett | 447 c1222 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend is making an important point about grandparents, who are so vital and can often be an...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1219-22 (Link to this contribution) I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s involvement in the discussion and the fact that he is one of the 116 ...
David Leslie Taylor | 447 c1218-9 (Link to this contribution) The early-day motion on parenting time presumption, tabled by the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1218 (Link to this contribution) I appreciate the hon. Lady’s point. I appreciate also her longstanding interest in and great involve...
David Kidney | 447 c1224;447 c1223-4 (Link to this contribution) New clause 18 stands in my name and in those of the hon. Members for Mid-Dorset and North Poole (Ann...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1222-3 (Link to this contribution) I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s support. That point found support on both sides of the Committee....
Tim Loughton | 447 c1217-8 (Link to this contribution) We come to the guts of the main part of the Bill. In the absence of any signs to the contrary, I sha...
Ann Coffey | 447 c1218 (Link to this contribution) I do not disagree with the principle of a child’s welfare being met by contact with both parents. Do...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1214 (Link to this contribution) I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1240 (Link to this contribution) I think that I have made the point on new clause 17 already. I will be happy to provide further info...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1240 (Link to this contribution) The Minister has just given an important undertaking. It is not a question of saving duplicate fees ...
Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1240 (Link to this contribution) That is a fair point. All hon. Members receive correspondence about that. We want to test whether th...
Lord Jackson of Peterborough | 447 c1234-5 (Link to this contribution) The hon. Lady knows that I am talking sense, despite her heckles. New clause 10, on reasonable cont...
Lord Jackson of Peterborough | 447 c1235-6 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend makes an important point. I am sure that the Minister is listening closely with respe...
Nadine Dorries | 447 c1235 (Link to this contribution) Two of my constituents who are grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Jennings, have found themselves responsibl...
David Kidney | 447 c1239 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend kindly refers to our discussions, so he knows that I do not agree with his conclusion...
Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1236-9 (Link to this contribution) I fear that the consensus that we have achieved so far today might be about to come to an end. The h...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1240 (Link to this contribution) I was concerned that the Minister might not refer to the wording in new clause 17, which I wish to p...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1243 (Link to this contribution) Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker—[Interruption.]
Paul Rowen | 447 c1242 (Link to this contribution) Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Tim Loughton | 447 c1242 (Link to this contribution) A prescriptive solution is suggested that would victimise the child most of all—children might want ...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1241 (Link to this contribution) I am sorry to interrupt the hon. Gentleman’s enjoyment. However, I hope that he listened to the word...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1240-1 (Link to this contribution) We have certainly had another full and lengthy debate, but I fear that, yet again, it is without imp...
Speaker | 447 c1242 (Link to this contribution) Order. We will now have both Government and Opposition Front Benchers obeying the normal rules of th...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1242 (Link to this contribution) If the hon. Gentleman had been here earlier in the debate, he would have heard several hon. Members ...
Paul Rowen | 447 c1242 (Link to this contribution) No, I was not. The hon. Gentleman will note that several hon. Members, including 115 members of the ...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1242 (Link to this contribution) Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will tell us whether he is one of the signatories.
Annette Brooke | 447 c1228 (Link to this contribution) Very well, I give way to the hon. Gentleman.
Annette Brooke | 447 c1228 (Link to this contribution) I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention, which was not entirely surprising. All hon. Member...
Elfyn Llwyd | 447 c1226 (Link to this contribution) I am listening carefully to the hon. Gentleman’s speech. Will he enlarge on who exactly would provid...
David Kidney | 447 c1225-6 (Link to this contribution) With the greatest respect to the hon. Gentleman, for whom I have great respect, especially for his v...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1227-8 (Link to this contribution) I have great sympathy with most of what was said by the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney). I sin...
David Kidney | 447 c1226-7 (Link to this contribution) I mentioned earlier the problems associated with polarised debates. There are lots of reasons why co...
Lord Jackson of Peterborough | 447 c1225 (Link to this contribution) I am following the hon. Gentleman’s argument closely, but does he believe that it is incumbent on hi...
Lord Jackson of Peterborough | 447 c1231-4 (Link to this contribution) I wish to speak to new clause 4, which I tabled with my hon. Friend the Member for East Worthing and...
Elfyn Llwyd | 447 c1230 (Link to this contribution) I have practised in family law for 25 years and the problem results partly from the lack of full-tim...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1230 (Link to this contribution) I am happy to do so, but afterwards I should like to explain the concept behind our proposals.
Annette Brooke | 447 c1229-30 (Link to this contribution) That is the most demeaning point that could be made in a serious debate. Conservative Members may th...
Lord Jackson of Peterborough | 447 c1229 (Link to this contribution) I am confused about the official Liberal Democrat policy on co-parenting and the early-day motion si...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1228-9 (Link to this contribution) Perhaps I should just pass on that intervention. We will support the Select Committee recommendation...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1228 (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the hon. Lady, who must find it painful to be in a minority in her party. She is ri...
Speaker | 447 c1285 (Link to this contribution) Order. On Third Reading, the hon. Lady must talk about what is in the Bill, not what might be in it....
Annette Brooke | 447 c1284-5 (Link to this contribution) I, too, start by thanking the Officers of the House and Chairmen who have already been mentioned. I ...
Speaker | 447 c1286 (Link to this contribution) Order. I remind the hon. Lady that she is going back to her old ways. May we get her to stay within ...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1285-6 (Link to this contribution) I am grateful, Mr. Speaker. The changes to CAFCASS are connected to the Bill, because they are part...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1282-3 (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to my hon. Friend. Of course, as well as those who do not sign early-day motions for r...
Roger Gale | 447 c1282 (Link to this contribution) The figure is rather more significant than my hon. Friend suggests. A good many Members, including m...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1283-4 (Link to this contribution) I am grateful, Madam Deputy Speaker, as my point is that the Bill, which has not been amended as we ...
Speaker | 447 c1283 (Link to this contribution) Order. I must remind the hon. Gentleman that the Third Reading of a Bill is about its content as it ...
Baroness Hughes of Stretford | 447 c1280-1 (Link to this contribution) I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. The Bill is important and will have consid...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1281-2 (Link to this contribution) Perhaps my few comments, with the support of other speakers, will take us past the 9.45 pm watershed...
Lord Jackson of Peterborough | 447 c1288 (Link to this contribution) I hear what my hon. Friend says. We wanted consensus. We have done our best to ensure that good sen...
Lord Jackson of Peterborough | 447 c1288 (Link to this contribution) I am pleased to be able to conclude the Third Reading debate. [Interruption.] It is gratifying to kn...
Roger Gale | 447 c1286-8 (Link to this contribution) You, Mr. Speaker, better than most, will understand that those of us with other duties in this House...
Speaker | 447 c1286 (Link to this contribution) While the World cup is going on, contributions to debates can be very helpful indeed.
Annette Brooke | 447 c1286 (Link to this contribution) I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for drawing my attention to the fact that I was straying. Having made all...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1286 (Link to this contribution) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope that I was being helpful, even if I was straying from the path.
Lord Deben | 447 c1271 (Link to this contribution) Cannot the Minister understand that the point is that, unless the parents know that there is a conne...
Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1271-3 (Link to this contribution) We are facing up to this. It is one reason why the Bill introduces a range of measures, including co...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1266-7;447 c1266-8 (Link to this contribution) I concur with everything that the hon. Member for Luton, South (Margaret Moran) said. It is easy to ...
Lord Deben | 447 c1268;447 c1268-9 (Link to this contribution) All of us are aware that in discussing these matters we are discussing, in a sense, the second-best ...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1259-62 (Link to this contribution) New clause 21 deals with compensatory contact, a subject that we raised in Committee. It deals with ...
Margaret Moran | 447 c1262-6 (Link to this contribution) My purpose is to ensure that the paramountcy of the child’s interests, which we have discussed repea...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1270 (Link to this contribution) If contact has been thwarted, how often does the Minister think that courts award additional contact...
Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1271 (Link to this contribution) In all honesty, I do not have the figures with me. I agree with the right hon. Member for Suffolk, C...
Jeremy Wright | 447 c1269-70 (Link to this contribution) I want to say a few words in support of new clause 21 and amendment No. 10. As the House is now well...
Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1270 (Link to this contribution) On behalf of the House, I should probably take this opportunity to wish England good luck in the Wor...
Tim Loughton | 447 c1273 (Link to this contribution) We have had quite a full debate on, as the Minister says, a diverse selection amendments. I certainl...
Baroness Hughes of Stretford | 447 c1276 (Link to this contribution) The hon. Member for Basingstoke (Mrs. Miller) was so familiar with the debate in Committee that she ...
Maria Miller | 447 c1274 (Link to this contribution) I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
Speaker | 447 c1274 (Link to this contribution) With this it will be convenient to discuss the following amendments: No. 15, in clause 1, page 2, li...
Maria Miller | 447 c1274 (Link to this contribution) Given the lateness of the hour, it is right to say now that we intend to press for a vote after deba...
Lord Beith | 447 c1274 (Link to this contribution) I am pleased that the new clause was tabled, because the Select Committee recommended that the parti...
Maria Miller | 447 c1274-5 (Link to this contribution) The right hon. Gentleman makes a good point. The new clause is not intended to make mediation compul...
Maria Miller | 447 c1275-6 (Link to this contribution) That is a matter that the hon. Gentleman has obviously considered in detail in respect of other aspe...
Lord Beith | 447 c1276 (Link to this contribution) In a sentence, on a matter that affects the welfare of many children caught in difficult and despera...
Parmjit Dhanda | 447 c1239-40 (Link to this contribution) I give that commitment to my hon. Friend. If he is patient, I may give him other commitments as well...
Speaker | 447 c1214-7 (Link to this contribution) With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: New clause 9—Reasonable contact: no order ...
Annette Brooke | 447 c1230-1 (Link to this contribution) I wish that we could solve all those problems, but we will not do so immediately or in the next year...
David Kidney | 447 c1275 (Link to this contribution) The hon. Lady knows from Committee that I strongly support mediation, but the first part of new clau...
Speaker | 447 c1243 (Link to this contribution) Order. I hope that the Minister for the Cabinet Office heard what I said.
Tim Loughton | 447 c1228 (Link to this contribution) I am saddened but not entirely surprised to hear that the hon. Lady has problems with the phrase ““l...

Subjects

Children
Adoption
Abuse
CAFCASS
Arbitration
Contact orders
Absent parents
Families
Domestic abuse
Human trafficking
Divorce
Intercountry adoption
Family law
Grandparents
Family proceedings
Parents
Parental responsibility
Separation
Risk assessment

Legislation

Children and Adoption Bill (HL) 2005-06

Link

View this Parliamentary proceeding on www.publications.parliament.uk
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