Dear Mr McCloy

Freedom of Information Act 2000

I am writing to advise you that I need to extend the time limit for responding to your request for information which the Department received on 5 February 2010 clarifying that you were requesting information regarding

projects/research on family law reform, Children's Order 1995, child contact cases - private and public law and child residence cases - private law.

As explained in paragraph 4 of the leaflet enclosed with my first letter, occasionally it is necessary to extend our 20 working day time limit for issuing a response. In this case I must extend the time limit by a further 10 working days approximately because the Department needs further time to consider the exemptions in respect of sections 35 and 36 (Formulation of Government policy and prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I hope to let you have a response by 1^st April 2010. If you do not receive my response by then, please contact me and I will investigate the matter.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Yours sincerely,

Dennis Stanfield - pp - Declan Leonard

DECLAN LEONARD

INFORMATION MANAGER

DF1/10/86292

By e-mail to:

Mr Hugh McCloy

Request-28229-d0f63374@whatdotehy know.com

Departmental Solicitor's Office

Victoria Hall

12 May Street

Belfast

BT1 4NL

Telephone: (028) 902 51253

E-mail: [email address]

Your ref:

Our ref: FOI 21615

Date: 18 March 2010