Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to advocate reform of the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction to better protect victims of domestic violence.

The UK supports the work of the Hague Conference on Private International Law on their multilateral Conventions, including the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention, and works with other States Party to that Convention to improve its operation. The UK is taking a leading role in working with the Hague Conference to consider the impact of allegations and evidence of domestic abuse in judicial decision-making under the 1980 Hague Convention.