Central Authorities
The Hague Convention, the European Convention and the Revised Brussels II Regulation are all based on a system of Central Authorities. Each member country appoints a Central Authority which functions as the contact point for all applications under the Conventions or the Revised Brussels II Regulation.

The Central Authority for the United Kingdom
The Lord Chancellor is designated by the Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985 as the Central Authority for England & Wales and Northern Ireland, The Central Authority for England and Wales is located in the Office of the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee and is called the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit (ICACU).The ICACU is responsible for administering the work of the conventions under the administrative control of the Official Solicitor to the Supreme Court, an independent, quasi-judicial figure whose function is to give confidential advice to the judges, assist the court and represent the interests of those under legal disability. The ICACU is also the designated Central Authority under the Revised Brussels II Regulation, having been appointed in accordance with article 67 of the Regulation.

The Crown Dependencies and the Dependent Territories
The United Kingdom is responsible for 3 Crown Dependencies and 14 Overseas Dependent Territories.
The Crown Dependencies are the Isle of Man and the islands of Guernsey and Jersey know collectively as the Channel Islands. The Overseas Dependent Territories are Anguilla; Bermuda; the British Antarctic Territory; the British Virgin Islands; the Cayman Islands; Gibraltar; Monserrat; Pitcairn Island, St Helena and dependencies (Asuncion and Tristan Da Cahuna) South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Orders made in the Isle of Man are recognised and enforceable throughout the United Kingdom and vice versa but orders made in the Channel Islands and the Dependant Territories are not. However, such orders are likely to be given considerable weight in the respective courts.

The Hague Convention has been extended to the Isle of Man, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Monserat and Bermuda. Local specialist legal advice should be taken in the event of an abduction between the Channel Islands or the Dependant Territories and other parts of the United Kingdom.

The Central Authority for England and Wales
The International Child Abduction and Contact Unit is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. In an emergency outside these hours you may contact the Royal Courts of Justice on either +44 (0) 207 9476000 or +44 (0) 207 9476260.

Senior Case Manager: Matt Wood
Tel: 020 7911 7045
email: Matt Wood
Alternative email: General enquiries

International Child Abduction and Contact Unit
81 Chancery Lane
London
WC2A 1DD
DX 0012 London Chancery Lane

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7911 7047
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7911 7248

This Page Was Last Updated

Sunday 7 January, 2007 13:41

Disclaimer