To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 19 November 2008, Official Report, column 595W, on parenting contracts, how the use of such contracts is monitored; and how their effectiveness is assessed. (242030)

Parenting contracts are voluntary, informal arrangements and as such are not suitable for data collection. As data are not collected there is no formal monitoring system. However, while breach of a parenting contract carries no criminal sanction, evidence of non-compliance can be used by applicant agencies when applying to the courts for a parenting order.

Breach of a parenting order is a criminal offence.