(2) how many divorces his Department recorded centrally in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007 and (d) 2008.
The estimated number of decrees absolute granted is shown in Table 5.5 of Judicial and Court Statistics 2008. A copy of this Command Paper (CM7697) was laid before Parliament on 24 September 2009 and is also available in the Libraries of the House. This is also available online at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/judicialandcourtstatistics.htm
A central record of decrees absolute is kept by the Principal Registry of the Family Division. The information on the central record is compiled by Office of National Statistics (ONS) upon receiving notification of decrees absolute from the courts, and is then sent to the Principal Registry of the Family Division.
The provisional figures for the number of decrees absolute granted each year are shown in the following table.
HMCS/MOJ figures ONS/Central index figures 2005 142,367 141,750 2006 133,026 132,562 2007 129,146 128,534 2008 122,861 193,100 1 Up to 3rd quarter 2008 Note: These figures include both decrees absolute and decrees of nullity. The ONS figures for 2007 and are provisional. The ONS figures for 2008 are provisional, rounded to three significant figures and cover the first three quarters of 2008 only.
ONS figures can be found at:
Table 1: Divorces: Petitions filed and decree granted, available at:
www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=14124
Annual Reference Volume: Marriage, divorce and adoption statistics (series FM2 no. 34), available at:
www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_population/FM2no34/FM2_No34.pdf
Population Trends 137, Table 2.1: Vital statistics summary.
www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_population/PopTrends137web.pdf