House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
Final Report of the MoJ Expert Panel on Harm in the Family Courts and Implementation Plan
25 June 2020 · Ministry of Justice
Proposed by Alex Chalk Con Cheltenham
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- Final report of the MoJ Expert Panel on Harm in the Family Courts and an Implementation Plan is presented.
- The plan includes trialling a new investigative approach in Integrated Domestic Abuse Courts.
- Training on domestic abuse for professionals will be improved.
Issue summary
Alex Chalk is presenting the final report of the MoJ Expert Panel on Harm in the Family Courts and an Implementation Plan addressing long-standing issues in the family justice system, particularly concerning domestic abuse victims.
Action requested
The minister announces several actions including trialling a new investigative approach in Integrated Domestic Abuse Courts, improving training on domestic abuse for professionals, reviewing the presumption of parental involvement, and enhancing judges' ability to apply barring orders under section 91(14) of the Children Act 1989.
Key facts
- The MoJ Expert Panel received over 1,200 submissions from individuals and organisations.
- £35 million was announced alongside the Domestic Abuse Bill to support victims and their children.
- An additional £76 million is provided during the current pandemic for survivors of domestic abuse.
- Section 91(14) of the Children Act 1989 will be used to prevent abusive ex-partners from repeatedly dragging a victim back to court.