Further evidence submitted by Rt Hon Dame
Elizabeth Butler-Sloss DBE, President, High Court, Family Division
I refer to evidence submitted by the President
of the Equal Parenting Council ("EPC"), Mr Tony Coe,
dated 18 November 2004, a copy of which has been passed to me.
I wish to raise a number of points to clarify what I consider
to be some inaccuracies with that evidence.
Paragraph 28 of Mr Coe's evidence seems to indicate
that when I gave evidence to the Committee on 9 November 2004
I referred specifically to meeting the EPC. I did indicate that
I had in the past engaged with a number of parenting organisations
and that "we [the judiciary] had no problem in meeting fathers
or mothers" but as you will be aware there was no specific
mention of the EPC by any of the judges during their oral evidence.
You ought to be aware that it would be difficult for a judge to
meet with a member of the public who has been involved in proceedings
before that judge, especially given the possibility that the individual
may appear before that judge in future.
In relation to paragraph 29 I am not clear who
the health professional referred to is. In any event, I do not
accept what is said in that paragraph.
I am sure you will give whatever weight you
consider appropriate to all the evidence you receive. I did, however,
wish to raise these issues with you at the earliest opportunity.
Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss
President of the Family Division
2 December 2004
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