Vote Bundle Text (940624-06)

Amendments proposed to the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill [Lords]- continued	House of Commons

back to previous text

Mandatory risk assessment checklist

Mrs Cheryl Gillan
Mr Dominic Grieve
Mrs Eleanor Laing
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

NC8

To move the following new Clause:—

'After section 8 in Part II of the Children 1989 insert—

"8B Mandatory risk assessment checklist

(1) When determining whether the child will be safe if contact or residence is granted to the abusive party, the court shall, so far as is practicable, have regard to the following matters—

(a) the nature and severity of the ill-treatment;

(b) how recently the ill-treatment occurred;

(d) the risk of further ill-treatment occurring;

(e) the physical, sexual or emotional harm inflicted on the child or harm suffered by the child as a result of seeing or hearing ill-treatment of another person;

(f) whether the other party to the proceedings

(i) considers that the child will be safe while the abusive part has residence of, or contact with, the child; and

(ii) consents to the abusive party having residence of, or contact with, the child;

(g) the wishes of the child, if the child is able to express them, having regard to the age and maturity of the child;

(h) any steps taken by the abusive party to prevent further ill-treatment from occurring;

(i) any other matters as the court considers relevant.".'.

Definition of domestic relationship

Mrs Cheryl Gillan
Mr Dominic Grieve
Mrs Eleanor Laing
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
Mr Hilton Dawson

NC9

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) For the purposes of this Act, a person is in a domestic relationship with another person, if the person—

(a) is a partner of the other person; or

(b) is a family member of the other person; or

(d) has a close personal relationship with the other person.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(c) of this section, a person is not regarded as sharing a household with another person by reason only of the fact that—

(a) the person has—

(i) a landlord-tenant relationship; or

(ii) an employer-employee relationship; or

(iii) an employee-employee relationship—

with that other person; and

(b) they occupy a common dwellinghouse (whether or not other people also occupy that dwellinghouse).

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1)(d) of this section, a person is not regarded as having a close personal relationship with another person by reason only of the fact that the person has—

(a) an employer-employee relationship; or

(b) an employee-employee relationship—

with that other person.

(4) With limiting the matters to which a Court may have regard in determining, for the purposes of subsection (1)(d) of this section, whether a person has a close personal relationship with another person, the Court must have regard to—

(a) the nature and intensity of the relationship, and in particular—

(i) the amount of time the persons spend together;

(ii) the place or places where that time is ordinarily spent;

(iii) the manner in which that time is ordinarily spent;—

but it is not necessary for there to be a sexual relationship between the persons:

(b) the duration of the relationship.'.

Restraining orders on conviction or acquittal of an offence arising out of domestic violence

Mr David Heath
Sandra Gidley

NC11

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) Any order granted under section 5 or 5A after conviction or acquittal of an offence arising out of domestic violence shall be a temporary order.

(2) On the making of a temporary order under this section, the court shall adjourn further hearing to the Family Proceedings Court or the County Court.

(3) The person or persons for whose benefit the temporary order has been made shall be entitled to be heard and represented by a lawyer at the adjourned hearing, and may lead, as further evidence, any evidence that would be admissible in proceedings under section 3.

(4) Domestic violence may include, but is not restricted to—

(a) actual or threatened physical, verbal, sexual, psychological or emotional abuse;

(b) intimidation, harassment or stalking;

(d) threats of harm to or restriction of access to others, including children;

(e) unwarranted restriction of or interference with access to money, personal items, food, transportation and communication; or

(f) restriction of freedom of movement or access to potential sources of support;

by a person or his or her agent towards a cohabitant, relevant child or associated person as defined in section 62 of the Family Law Act 1996 (meaning of "cohabitants", "Relevant Child" and "associated Persons") and may be a single act or a number of acts forming a pattern of abusive behaviour.

(5) Abuse has occurred if the defendant causes a relevant child to witness or puts a relevant child at risk of witnessing the abuse of an associated person.

(6) The victim is not to be regarded for the purposes of subsection (3) as having caused or allowed the child to see or hear abuse or, as the case may be, as having put the child, or allowed the child to be put, at risk of seeing or hearing the abuse.'.

Duration of occupation orders

Mr David Heath
Sandra Gidley

NC12

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) In Part 4 of the Family Law Act 1996 (c. 27) (family homes and domestic violence), for section 35(10) (one former spouse with no existing right to occupy) substitute—

"(10) An order under this section shall be limited so as to have effect for a specified period of six months, but may be extended on two occasions for a further period of six months unless an application is made to discharge the order."

(2) For section 36(10) (one cohabitant or former cohabitant with no existing right to occupy) substitute—

(3) For section 37(5) (neither spouse entitled to occupy) substitute—

"(5) An order under this section shall be limited so as to have effect for a specified period of six months, but may be extended on two occasions for a further period of six months unless an application is made to discharge the order."

(4) For section 38(6) (neither cohabitant or former cohabitant entitled to occupy) substitute—

"(6) An order under this section shall be limited so as to have effect for a specified period of six months, but may be extended on two occasions for a further period of six months unless an application is made to discharge the order."

Use of recovery orders

Mr David Heath
Sandra Gidley

NC13

To move the following Clause:—

'In Part I of the Family Law Act 1986 (c. 55) (child custody), after section 34 insert—

"34A Use of recovery orders in cases involving either allegations of domestic violence or a potential risk to the child

(1) If an applicant claims that their partner has abducted a child of the family, the court may grant a recovery order if the applicant already has a residence order in their name.

(2) If there is no residence order in favour of either parent, the court may grant a recovery order.

(3) The recovery order will require both parties to attend court within 24 hours of the discovery of the child, or the first working day thereafter.

(4) Before returning the child to the applicant or giving the applicant any information as to the whereabouts of the child, the police must—

(a) check their records to see whether either party has committed acts of violence;

(b) check to see whether either party is included on the register of domestic violence perpetrators;

(c) having located the child without notifying the applicant of the child's whereabouts, make enquiries with regard to the child's welfare.

(5) If records show that the applicant has a history of violence or the police have concerns about the welfare of the child if the child is returned to the applicant, the police will—

(a) not remove the child from the respondent;

(b) advise the respondent to seek legal representation;

(6) If there is no record of violence and no reason to believe that the respondent or the child is at risk, the police will return the child to the applicant.

(7) Ex parte residence or contact orders should only be made if there is evidence that a party is wilfully refusing to attend court.".'.

Effect of immigration rules

Mr David Heath
Sandra Gidley

NC14

To move the following Clause:—

'The Commissioner shall have regard to the effect of the Immigration Rules on victims of domestic violence.'.

Provision of explanations to victims

Mr Harry Barnes

NC16

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) In any case since the revision of the Victims Charter in 1996 where a prosecuting authority decides—

(a) not to charge a person with a criminal offence,

(b) not to proceed with a criminal charge, or

it shall provide the victim with an explanation.

(2) The provisions of subsection (1) have effect notwithstanding any other enactment, any claim to legal professional privilege or the provisions of any code issued under section 21.

(3) An authority which fails to comply with subsection (1) shall be liable to civil proceedings.'.