asked the Secretary of State for Home Department if he will seek to amend the law on divorce to bring the provision for divorce in magistrates courts into line with the provision in the divorce courts.

Magistrates' courts do not have jurisdiction to grant divorces. The Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates' Courts Bill, which is awaiting Lords consideration of Commons amendments, implements the Law Commission's recommendation that the law applied by magistrates' courts should operate consistently with the permanent remedies available on divorce, whilst still giving full effect to the rather different objectives of the magistrates' matrimonial jurisdiction.