To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) highest, (b) lowest and (c) average cost was to the public purse of a child contact case heard in the last five years. (318042)

The Ministry of Justice incurs costs in cases involving child contact issues in respect of legal aid and the administration of the courts.

Table 1 shows the highest, lowest and average legal aid cost in cases involving child contact for each of the last five years. These cases may include other issues, such as residence, as well as contact. The figures show the gross legal costs paid, and do not deduct any amounts recovered through contributions by the assisted party or otherwise.

The figures in table 2 show the average court cost for private law Children Act cases heard in the family proceedings courts and county courts for the four years since 2005-06. The costs shown are gross and do not deduct income from court fees.

It is not possible to disaggregate court costs in a way that would allow them to be attributed to individual cases. Therefore, figures for the highest and lowest case cost cannot be provided.