On Wednesday there was a debate in Westminster Hall in Parliament under the theme of Family Law Terminology which was being set out by a Conservative MP Siobhan Baillie from Stroud in the Gloucestershire County. Along with Siobhan one of the other MPs was Sally-Ann Hart who is the Conservative MP for Hastings and Rye here in Sussex. The following text is what these two MPs spoke together about. The focus was a call that Sally-Ann Hart had been a previous magistrate in the family courts and she suggested that they are “not the place for parents to go to have other people sort out their child arrangements for them?” and Siobhan Baillie responded from Judge Wildbood who has suggested that “There are many other ways to settle disagreements, such as mediation.” and so she is suggesting that “I am looking to the Minister to help me and other parliamentarians to change the family law system” Let us hope that the Government will treat this very positively and fund it for families.

Sally-Ann Hart: As a former magistrate in the family proceedings court, I completely agree that when people come for contact arrangements with their children, very often the magistrates are acting in the role of mediator and helping them to come to a decision in the court. Does my hon. Friend agree that that is not the place for parents to go to have other people sort out their child arrangements for them?

Siobhan Baillie: I agree. It is not a good use of magistrates’ time, either. This is not easy for parents—nobody should suggest that they rush to court, because often that is not the case. At the moment, parents think that court is the only place to go to get disputes resolved. That change in society and culture would help to free up the court’s time, which is incredibly important to my hon. Friend and other magistrates. His Honour Judge Wildblood went on to say this, directed at parents and lawyers:

“If you do bring unnecessary cases to this Court, you will be criticised, and sanctions may be imposed on you. There are many other ways to settle disagreements, such as mediation.”

I am looking to the Minister to help me and other parliamentarians to change the family law system to, in turn, help the Ministry of Justice to achieve its goals to ensure that people can access justice and court time in a timely way when they really need it.