← Back to Westminster Hall Debates
International Parental Child Abduction — [Dr Andrew Murrison in the Chair]
28 April 2026
Lead MP
Rachel Gilmour
Tiverton and Minehead
Lib Dem
Responding Minister
Hamish Falconer
Tags
Crime & Law Enforcement
Word Count: 7128
Other Contributors: 3
At a Glance
Rachel Gilmour raised concerns about international parental child abduction — [dr andrew murrison in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The Minister should provide support for victims, statist [7D [K statistics on repatriation from Poland, and ensure that maintenance orders [K do not penalize left-behind parents in cases involving abduction. The Gover [5D [K Government must also reflect on the impact of Brexit on how EU jurisdiction [12D [K jurisdictions handle such cases and consider establishing a dedicated taskf [5D [K taskforce to address these issues.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
More than 500 children are abducted from the UK annu [4D [K annually, with families losing over half a century in lost years of contact [7D [K contact. The Hague Convention is often breached due to delays and inconsist [9D [K inconsistent application of its principles at appellate levels. Poland appe [4D [K appears particularly problematic, with incompetence or deliberate obstructi [9D [K obstruction by authorities hindering enforcement.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Jim Shannon expressed concern about the wrongful rem [3D [K removal of children from their homes and families, highlighting a gap in UK [2D [K UK law where retaining a child abroad after a permitted holiday is not trea [4D [K treated as seriously as abduction. He cited an example involving a mother f [1D [K from Northern Ireland whose son was taken by his father to Lebanon during a [1D [K a holiday, illustrating how difficult it can be to locate the child under s [1D [K such circumstances.
Lisa Smart
Lib Dem
Hazel Grove
She highlighted the challenges faced by families due [3D [K due to the outdated 1980 Hague convention, noting cases where mothers fled [K violence and were treated as abductors. She called for a review of disparit [8D [K disparities between Scotland and the rest of the UK in providing support to [2D [K to parents whose children are wrongfully removed.
Wendy Morton
Con
Aldridge-Brownhills
Cases of international parental child abduction are [K deeply distressing, financially draining for parents and often unsuccessful [12D [K unsuccessful in securing the safe return of children. The number of cases h [1D [K has risen from 272 in 2003-04 to 580 in 2012-13, potentially exceeding 1,00 [4D [K 1,000 annually today. Wendy Morton highlighted a specific case involving Mr [2D [K Mr Tom Toolan whose daughter was abducted to Poland in 2018 despite court o [1D [K orders prohibiting her removal from the UK. He has incurred legal costs of [K over £160,000 and his ordeal continues after eight years.
Government Response
Hamish Falconer
Government Response
The Minister highlighted the Government's commitmen [9D [K commitment to addressing international parental child abduction, noting tha [3D [K that decisions on return rest with courts in the country where the child is [2D [K is located. He mentioned clear measures for prevention and support provided [8D [K provided by Reunite International. The UK works closely with authorities se [2D [K seeking a return for parents under the 1980 Hague convention. The Minister [K reported efforts with Poland to improve enforcement, including joint worksh [6D [K workshops hosted with Polish and UK authorities. Additionally, he addressed [9D [K addressed concerns around domestic abuse cases and commissioned research in [2D [K into how the convention operates in these instances.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.