MP raises Slovak adoption worries

A Birmingham MP who campaigns for family law reform raised concerns about the "forcible adoption" of Slovak children living in England and Wales.

Liberal Democrat John Hemming, who represents Birmingham Yardley, said Slovak government officials were troubled by decisions made by judges hearing family court cases involving Slovak parents.

Mr Hemming raised the issue in a parliamentary motion and said Slovak officials had worries that there were cases where children had been adopted "without sound reasons".

"Media reports in the Slovak Republic … have expressed concern about the forcible adoption of the children of Slovak nationals in the English and Welsh jurisdiction," said Mr Hemming in an early day motion.

"On the Slovak Justice Ministry website a 'Declaration on adoptions of Slovak children in the UK' has been published."

He said the declaration included a statement which expressed "serious concern over cases of adoptions of children with living biological parents, who are also Slovak citizens, without sound reasons, occurring on the decisions of the English courts".

Mr Hemming said the Slovak representative at the European Court of Human Rights had "expressed a willingness to intervene in support of complaints made by Slovak citizens about wrongful adoptions".

Later, Mr Hemming said Slovak officials had asked him to help with one case.

He said he thought that officials had concerns about "possibly 30 children" and said he would raise the issue with UK Government ministers.