Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to create a statutory right for grandparents to have access to their grandchildren in the case of family breakdown involving the children's parents.

When making any decision about a child’s upbringing the court’s paramount consideration will be the welfare of the child. Under the provisions of the Children Act 1989, grandparents are required to seek the permission of the court before making an application for a child arrangements order for them to spend time with or have contact with their grandchildren or have their grandchildren live with them.

The Government believes that the requirements for grandparents, and other family members who are not parents, to seek permission from the court to apply for an order are proportionate and do not unfairly disadvantage grandparents.

Information on the number of cases where grandparents are not granted an order to have contact with or spend time with their grandchildren are not collected centrally.