Government has no plans for “no-fault” divorce

The Government has confirmed to the House of Lords that it has no plans to reform divorce law although it is considering further reforms to the family justice system.

Asked by Lord Pendry whether the government has any plans to review the fault-based divorce system, Lord Keen of Elie, Ministry of Justice spokesperson in the House of Lords, gave the following written answer on 13 February 2017:

“The government is committed to improving the family justice system so separating couples can achieve the best possible outcomes for themselves and their families.  Whilst we have no current plans to change the existing law on divorce, we are considering what further reforms to the family justice system may be needed.”

Many will find the above disappointing, particularly as a You Guv poll published on 17 February found that 69% of people polled thought that “people should be able to seek a divorce without having to show their spouse is at fault.”

Disclaimer
The contents of this article are for the purpose of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have changed since this article was published. Readers should not act on the basis of the information included and should take appropriate professional advice upon their own particular circumstances.