Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how he plans to respond to the Law Commission's recommendation on unlawful retention of children in its report on Simplification of Criminal Law: Kidnapping and Related Offences; and if he will make a statement.

Kidnap and child abduction can have a devastating and lasting impact on victims and their families. It is vital that the law reflects the gravity of such offences and that those who commit them are punished accordingly. The Law Commission published its report on these offences on 20 November. The Government is considering the recommendations and will respond in due course.