Expert Evidence And Family Court Proceedings And The Attacks On Professor Ireland

EDM number 2988 in 2010-12, proposed by John Hemming on 19/04/2012.
Categorised under the topic of Administration of justice.

That this House notes the attempts by a group of full-time expert witnesses to discredit the report of Professor Jane Ireland; recognises that the report, which indicates that potentially a majority of conclusions in care proceedings, which rely on these experts, are unsafe, raises serious concerns about their practice; believes, however, that the vitriolic response of those expert witnesses and the nature of the ad hominem attacks on Professor Ireland raise further concerns about the practice of those expert witnesses who have launched into such a campaign of attacks; is saddened by the complacent response of the Government which is trying to argue that the research is not representative; further notes that it is clearly representative of three courts, the bundles of which were reviewed;furthernotes that, in the same manner as an opinion poll, it is reasonable to presume that it gives a reasonable guide as to the reliability of expert evidence in the rest of the English and Welsh jurisdiction; and calls for an urgent reconsideration by the Government ofits position on this.

This motion has been signed by a total of 2 MPs.