To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 6 March 1998, Official Report, columns 788–89, concerning information, promotional marketing and opinion survey contracts, if he will provide a breakdown of the item 1999–2000, information meetings. [38447]
When Part II of the Family Law Act 1996 is implemented, all married people wishing to divorce will be required to attend an information meeting. A series of pilots are being run in a number of areas throughout England and Wales aimed at finding the best system for delivering the information meeting.
All aspects of the pilot projects are being objectively tested through a major evaluation programme which is being conducted in five phases between March 1997 and May 1999. The views of the public who attend meetings, those involved in the organisation and delivery of the pilots and all relevant professionals and organisations within the pilot areas are being sought as part of the evaluation programme. The item referred to is the projected grant in aid expenditure for the evaluation programme and is broken down as follows:
- 1996–1997: £24,415
- 1997–1998: £546,892
- 1998–1999: £650,000
- 1999–2000: £150,000.