asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission report on Family Law, Custody of Children — Jurisdiction and Enforcement within the United Kingdom, Cmnd. 9419.

The two Law Commissions have been working on this matter since 1972. Their report draws attention to the complexity of the present rules of custody jurisdiction within the three separate legal systems involved and was published only two months ago. The commissions' recommendations are likely to be generally acceptable and the Government are considering when it may be possible to introduce legislation on the lines of the recommendations. There is no prospect of introducing such legislation during the current parliamentary Session.