Early Day Motions

SHARED PARENTING RIGHTS AND THE FAMILY COURTS

EDM (Early Day Motion) 210: tabled on 10 June 2013

Tabled in the 2013-14 session.

This motion has been signed by 108 Members. It has not yet had any amendments submitted.

As this motion is using historical data, we may not have the record of the original ordering, in which case signatories are listed alphabetically.

Motion text

That this House notes that many fathers convicted of no criminal offence have very limited access to their children as a result of decisions made by the family courts following separation or divorce; further notes that the family courts operate in conditions of secrecy in which there is a lack of public accountability for the decisions they make; believes that mothers, children and fathers all have rights in relation to family contact and access where there has been family breakdown; further believes there should not be a presumption that family breakdown is the primary responsibility of either parent; further believes that where there is palpably no threat to children from their father in the context of family breakdown, the courts should try to maximise reasonable access in the interests of the children; and calls on the Government to review the operation of the family courts in general and their decision-making in relation to fathers' access to children in the context of family breakdown in particular, taking into account the testimony of the many thousands of fathers who feel their rights are being ignored or abused in relation to their children and in particular the organisation Fathers4Justice and the 36,000 families it represents.

The first 6 Members who have signed to support the motion are the sponsors. The primary sponsor is generally the person who tabled the motion and has responsibility for it. The date shown is when the Member signed the motion.

Galloway, Mr George
Respect Party
Signed on 10 June 2013
Bradford West
Primary
Meale, Sir Alan
Labour
Signed on 11 June 2013
Mansfield
Campbell, Mr Ronnie
Labour
Signed on 12 June 2013
Blyth Valley
Kaufman, Sir Gerald
Labour
Signed on 17 June 2013
Manchester, Gorton
Godsiff, Mr Roger
Labour
Signed on 19 June 2013
Birmingham, Hall Green
Long, Naomi
Alliance
Signed on 19 June 2013
Belfast East

In addition to the sponsors, the following Members have signed to support the motion.

Anderson, Mr David
Labour
Signed on 13 January 2014
Blaydon
Benton, Mr Joe
Labour
Signed on 5 March 2014
Bootle
Betts, Mr Clive
Labour
Signed on 13 September 2013
Sheffield South East
Birtwistle, Gordon
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 11 March 2014
Burnley
Blunkett, Mr David
Labour
Signed on 17 January 2014
Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
Brady, Mr Graham
Conservative
Signed on 10 October 2013
Altrincham and Sale West
Bridgen, Andrew
Conservative
Signed on 7 April 2014
North West Leicestershire
Brown, Mr Nicholas
Labour
Signed on 22 January 2014
Newcastle upon Tyne East
Bruce, Fiona
Conservative
Signed on 24 February 2014
Congleton
Bruce, Sir Malcolm
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 10 April 2014
Gordon
Burstow, Paul
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 26 March 2014
Sutton and Cheam
Campbell, Mr Gregory
Democratic Unionist Party
Signed on 1 May 2014
East Londonderry
Clarke, Mr Tom
Labour
Signed on 1 April 2014
Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
Connarty, Michael
Labour
Signed on 11 September 2013
Linlithgow and East Falkirk
Cooper, Rosie
Labour
Signed on 22 January 2014
West Lancashire
Crockart, Mike
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 24 February 2014
Edinburgh West
Cryer, John
Labour
Signed on 23 January 2014
Leyton and Wanstead
Cunningham, Sir Tony
Labour
Signed on 13 January 2014
Workington
Davies, David T. C.
Conservative
Signed on 2 September 2013
Monmouth
Davies, Philip
Conservative
Signed on 30 October 2013
Shipley
Dobbin, Jim
Labour
Signed on 25 February 2014
Heywood and Middleton
Dodds, Mr Nigel
Democratic Unionist Party
Signed on 3 July 2013
Belfast North
Donaldson, Mr Jeffrey M.
Democratic Unionist Party
Signed on 3 July 2013
Lagan Valley
Dowd, Jim
Labour
Signed on 25 March 2014
Lewisham West and Penge
Durkan, Mark
Social Democratic & Labour Party
Signed on 13 January 2014
Foyle
Edwards, Jonathan
Plaid Cymru
Signed on 28 January 2014
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
Engel, Natascha
Labour
Signed on 17 July 2013
North East Derbyshire
Esterson, Bill
Labour
Signed on 11 February 2014
Sefton Central
Field, Mr Frank
Labour
Signed on 5 November 2013
Birkenhead
Francis, Dr Hywel
Labour
Signed on 25 March 2014
Aberavon
George, Andrew
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 27 March 2014
St Ives
Gilbert, Stephen
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 7 January 2014
St Austell and Newquay
Glass, Pat
Labour
Signed on 17 March 2014
North West Durham
Glindon, Mrs Mary
Labour
Signed on 18 July 2013
North Tyneside
Hamilton, Fabian
Labour
Signed on 4 July 2013
Leeds North East
Hancock, Mr Mike
Independent
Signed on 8 October 2013
Portsmouth South
Harris, Mr Tom
Labour
Signed on 28 April 2014
Glasgow South
Harvey, Sir Nick
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 10 March 2014
North Devon
Hemming, John
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 1 July 2013
Birmingham, Yardley
Henderson, Gordon
Conservative
Signed on 14 January 2014
Sittingbourne and Sheppey
Hepburn, Mr Stephen
Labour
Signed on 2 September 2013
Jarrow
Hermon, Lady
Independent
Signed on 6 May 2014
North Down
Heyes, David
Labour
Signed on 15 October 2013
Ashton-under-Lyne
Hoey, Kate
Labour
Signed on 18 December 2013
Vauxhall
Horwood, Martin
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 26 June 2013
Cheltenham
Howarth, Mr George
Labour
Signed on 10 March 2014
Knowsley
Huppert, Dr Julian
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 31 March 2014
Cambridge
Lammy, Mr David
Labour
Signed on 2 April 2014
Tottenham
Lavery, Ian
Labour
Signed on 6 March 2014
Wansbeck
Leech, Mr John
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 13 January 2014
Manchester, Withington
Leigh, Mr Edward
Conservative
Signed on 21 January 2014
Gainsborough
Leslie, Charlotte
Conservative
Signed on 18 July 2013
Bristol North West
Lewis, Dr Julian
Conservative
Signed on 8 April 2014
New Forest East
Lucas, Caroline
Green Party
Signed on 25 February 2014
Brighton, Pavilion
Marsden, Mr Gordon
Labour
Signed on 9 April 2014
Blackpool South
McCrea, Dr William
Democratic Unionist Party
Signed on 2 September 2013
South Antrim
McGovern, Jim
Labour
Signed on 11 February 2014
Dundee West
Meacher, Mr Michael
Labour
Signed on 27 June 2013
Oldham West and Royton
Mearns, Ian
Labour
Signed on 5 March 2014
Gateshead
Mitchell, Austin
Labour
Signed on 13 January 2014
Great Grimsby
Morrice, Graeme
Labour
Signed on 25 March 2014
Livingston
Mudie, Mr George
Labour
Signed on 5 February 2014
Leeds East
Mulholland, Greg
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 22 October 2013
Leeds North West
Murphy, Paul
Labour
Signed on 4 September 2013
Torfaen
Owen, Albert
Labour
Signed on 17 December 2013
Ynys Môn
Paisley, Ian
Democratic Unionist Party
Signed on 2 September 2013
North Antrim
Pearce, Teresa
Labour
Signed on 22 January 2014
Erith and Thamesmead
Pugh, John
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 11 February 2014
Southport
Qureshi, Yasmin
Labour
Signed on 16 December 2013
Bolton South East
Redwood, Mr John
Conservative
Signed on 4 December 2013
Wokingham
Reid, Mr Alan
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 24 February 2014
Argyll and Bute
Riordan, Mrs Linda
Labour
Signed on 15 January 2014
Halifax
Ritchie, Ms Margaret
Social Democratic & Labour Party
Signed on 9 July 2013
South Down
Rosindell, Andrew
Conservative
Signed on 12 May 2014
Romford
Roy, Lindsay
Labour
Signed on 11 September 2013
Glenrothes
Sanders, Mr Adrian
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 8 October 2013
Torbay
Shannon, Jim
Democratic Unionist Party
Signed on 10 July 2013
Strangford
Sharma, Mr Virendra
Labour
Signed on 13 March 2014
Ealing, Southall
Sheridan, Jim
Labour
Signed on 2 September 2013
Paisley and Renfrewshire North
Simpson, David
Democratic Unionist Party
Signed on 4 February 2014
Upper Bann
Smith, Nick
Labour
Signed on 1 April 2014
Blaenau Gwent
Smith, Sir Robert
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 24 March 2014
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
Stephenson, Andrew
Conservative
Signed on 5 March 2014
Pendle
Stunell, Andrew
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 13 January 2014
Hazel Grove
Swales, Ian
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 13 January 2014
Redcar
Syms, Mr Robert
Conservative
Signed on 11 March 2014
Poole
Tami, Mark
Labour
Signed on 20 March 2014
Alyn and Deeside
Thornton, Mr Mike
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 24 June 2013
Eastleigh
Vickers, Martin
Conservative
Signed on 10 September 2013
Cleethorpes
Walley, Joan
Labour
Signed on 12 December 2013
Stoke-on-Trent North
Ward, Mr David
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 20 November 2013
Bradford East
Weatherley, Mike
Conservative
Signed on 24 February 2014
Hove
Williams, Mr Mark
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 11 December 2013
Ceredigion
Williams, Roger
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 2 September 2013
Brecon and Radnorshire
Williamson, Chris
Labour
Signed on 1 April 2014
Derby North
Wilson, Sammy
Democratic Unionist Party
Signed on 5 July 2013
East Antrim
Wright, David
Labour
Signed on 25 June 2013
Telford
Wright, Simon
Liberal Democrat
Signed on 3 April 2014
Norwich South