asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Statement by Lord Adonis on 6 December 2007 (WS 215), on what evidence the decision to suspend adoptions of Guatemalan children by United Kingdom residents was based. [HL1555]
The decision to suspend adoptions from Guatemala was based on: information from the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, including the Report of a Fact-Finding Mission to Guatemala in Relation to Intercountry Adoption 26 February-9 March, which is publicly available; information from the meeting of the Technical Assistance Programme to Guatemala on 11-12 September 2007 at the Hague Conference at which the report was presented; information provided by overseas Governments; and information relating to individual adoption cases.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Statement by Lord Adonis on 6 December 2007 (WS 215), under what powers the Minister acted in reaching the decision to suspend adoptions of Guatemalan children by United Kingdom residents, given that the relevant sections of the Children and Adoption Act 2006 are yet to be implemented. [HL1556]
As with the suspension of adoptions from Cambodia in 2004, the suspension of adoptions from Guatemala has been implemented using prerogative powers.
The Children and Adoption Act 2006 provides in respect of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, for statutory powers for the suspension of adoptions, but the relevant provisions are not fully in force. We expect to publish a timetable for implementation of the relevant provisions shortly.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Statement by Lord Adonis on 6 December 2007 (WS 215), by what criteria and timescales the decision to suspend adoptions of Guatemalan children by United Kingdom residents will be monitored and reviewed. [HL1557]
The suspension will be kept under review until the Government can be satisfied that the safeguards in the Guatemalan adoption system are sufficient to properly protect children and their families. The Department for Children, Schools and Families will work with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to monitor the effects on the ground of any changes to adoption legislation and practice in Guatemala.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Statement by Lord Adonis on 6 December 2007 (WS 215), what consultation took place before the decision to suspend adoptions of Guatemalan children by United Kingdom residents; and with whom. [HL1558]
The decision to suspend adoptions from Guatemala was taken in consultation with Ministers in the devolved Administrations and with Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office Ministers.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Statement by Lord Adonis on 6 December 2007 (WS 215), how many adopters' dossiers for the adoption of Guatemalan children by United Kingdom residents had been reviewed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families at the time of the decision to suspend adoptions and will now not be processed. [HL1559]
Nineteen applications to adopt from Guatemala were held by the Department for Children, Schools and Families that were not able to proceed when the suspension was introduced.