Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Daniel Kawczynski and Caroline Ansell

Tuesday 28th March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham) (Con)]

6. What steps he is taking to increase support for families within the family court system.

[Caroline Ansell (Eastbourne) (Con)]

8. What steps he is taking to increase support for families within the family court system.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mike Freer)]

Drawn-out court proceedings can have a damaging impact on parents and children. We have published a consultation on proposals for a funded mandatory mediation and co-parenting programme before court to enable more families to resolve disputes out of court. We have also invested a further £15 million in the family mediation voucher scheme, which will help about 28,000 more separating families over the next two years. By freeing up stretched court resources, those changes will help families whose cases need to be heard by a court, such as those involved in domestic abuse.