Question reference: S6W-03831
- Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 19 October 2021
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Current status: Answered by Ash Regan on 4 November 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment at paragraph 9.14 of its Family Justice Modernisation Strategy, published on 3 September 2019, to give further consideration to amending the Child Abduction Act 1984 and to the procedure for obtaining formal consent, proving consent and corroboration of evidence, what further work it will carry out in relation to the strategy.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to working to improve the family justice system in Scotland, as set out in the 2019 Family Justice Modernisation Strategy. However, since this Strategy was published, a number of areas of work across the Scottish Government were paused to enable an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic, whilst also ensuring core services remained operational. As we move towards recovery from the pandemic, the Scottish Government will prepare an update on the Strategy and look at how best to take forward actions in the Strategy which remain outstanding, including whether amendments are required to the Child Abduction Act 1984.