Gagging Orders in Secret Family Courts

Dear Mrs Docherty

Freedom of Information Reference: 08171FOI

Subject: Request for information regarding the use of Gagging Orders
concerning Children's Social Services and Secret Family Courts

Thank you for your recent request for information received by this office
on 13th October 2009. Your request is being dealt with under the terms of
the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Your request will be handled by the Children's Services Directorate. We
will aim to respond to your request, notifying you whether or not the
information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council and
communicating that information to you (provided that the information is
not exempt under the terms of the Act), within 20 working days from the
day after your request was received.

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identify and locate the information requested. If this is the case we will
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Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Department
Resources Directorate
Lincolnshire County Council

[1][Lincolnshire County Council request email]

The information we have supplied to you may contain intellectual property
rights of Lincolnshire County Council. Your use of the information must be
strictly in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as
amended), or other applicable legislation. In particular, you must not
re-use this information for any commercial purpose.
If you would like to re-use this information for any commercial purpose
you must make a formal request to us under the Re-Use of Public Sector
Information Regulations 2005. Please email us at
[2][email address]

show quoted sections

Dear Mrs Docherty

Freedom of Information Reference: 08171FOI

Subject: Request for information regarding the use of Gagging Orders
concerning Children's Social Services and Secret Family Courts

Further to previous correspondence in respect of the above matter,
Lincolnshire County Council is now pleased to be able to provide you with
the information you requested.

Qu 1) How many individuals have been taken to court by your authority
in-order to gag them. To stop them from speaking out about the injustices
they have suffered at the hands of the council children's social services
and secret family courts. Provide all records to-date that are held.

Ans. Lincolnshire County Council's Children's Services can confirm that
no individuals have been taken to court by Lincolnshire County Council in
order to 'gag' them.

Lincolnshire County Council's Shared Legal Services can confirm that no
applications for gagging orders have been made.

In addition, it is contempt of Court to disclose information from care or
adoption proceedings to those who are not a party to the proceedings or
who do not fall within a schedule of exceptions to the rule, so there is
no need to seek an order as such in relation to confidential proceedings.
We are not aware of any applications for committal for contempt in these
circumstances.

2.) How much did these gagging order injunctions cost the rate payer.

Ans. N/A

3.) Who is responsible for actioning these enforcement orders by the
council, i.e. who signs the applications for court.

Ans. N/A

4) How many parents /relatives/individuals have received further
sanctions for breaking these gagging orders.

Ans. N/A

5) Are any of these decisions to gag/sanction taken by unelected local
authority officers responsible for children's social care, finance, legal
or any other relevant department.

Ans. N/A

6) If councillors make these decisions at which meeting(s) are these
discussed.

Ans. Lincolnshire County Councils' Democratic Services Directorate can
confirm they do not hold any information in relation to this matter.

We believe we have answered your request in full. However, if you have any
further queries or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely

Rachel Starmer
Resources Directorate
Lincolnshire County Council

[1][Lincolnshire County Council request email]

We trust you are happy with this response but if you are unhappy with the
service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a
complaint or request a review or our decision, please write to: Corporate
Complaints, Lincolnshire County Council, PO Box 841, Lincoln, LON ZEN

The information we have supplied to you may contain intellectual property
rights of Lincolnshire County Council. Your use of the information must be
strictly in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as
amended), or other applicable legislation. In particular, you must not
re-use this information for any commercial purpose.

If you would like to re-use this information for any commercial purpose
you must make a formal request to us under the Re-Use of Public Sector
Information Regulations 2005. Please email us at [2]reuse
[email address]

show quoted sections

Infomgt would like to recall the message, "08171FOI".

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Dear Mrs Docherty

Freedom of Information Reference: 08171FOI

Subject: Request for information regarding the use of Gagging Orders
concerning Children's Social Services and Secret Family Courts

Further to previous correspondence in respect of the above matter,
Lincolnshire County Council is now pleased to be able to provide you with
the information you requested.

Qu 1) How many individuals have been taken to court by your authority
in-order to gag them. To stop them from speaking out about the injustices
they have suffered at the hands of the council children's social services
and secret family courts. Provide all records to-date that are held.

Ans. Lincolnshire County Council's Children's Services can confirm that
no individuals have been taken to court by Lincolnshire County Council in
order to 'gag' them.

Lincolnshire County Council's Shared Legal Services can confirm that no
applications for gagging orders have been made.

In addition, it is contempt of Court to disclose information from care or
adoption proceedings to those who are not a party to the proceedings or
who do not fall within a schedule of exceptions to the rule, so there is
no need to seek an order as such in relation to confidential proceedings.
We are not aware of any applications for committal for contempt in these
circumstances.

2.) How much did these gagging order injunctions cost the rate payer.

Ans. N/A

3.) Who is responsible for actioning these enforcement orders by the
council, i.e. who signs the applications for court.

Ans. N/A

4) How many parents /relatives/individuals have received further
sanctions for breaking these gagging orders.

Ans. N/A

5) Are any of these decisions to gag/sanction taken by unelected local
authority officers responsible for children's social care, finance, legal
or any other relevant department.

Ans. N/A

6) If councillors make these decisions at which meeting(s) are these
discussed.

Ans. Lincolnshire County Councils' Democratic Services Directorate can
confirm they do not hold any information in relation to this matter.

We believe we have answered your request in full. However, if you have any
further queries or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Department
Resources Directorate
Lincolnshire County Council

[1][Lincolnshire County Council request email]

We trust you are happy with this response but if you are unhappy with the
service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a
complaint or request a review or our decision, please write to: Corporate
Complaints, Lincolnshire County Council, PO Box 841, Lincoln, LON ZEN

The information we have supplied to you may contain intellectual property
rights of Lincolnshire County Council. Your use of the information must be
strictly in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as
amended), or other applicable legislation. In particular, you must not
re-use this information for any commercial purpose.

If you would like to re-use this information for any commercial purpose
you must make a formal request to us under the Re-Use of Public Sector
Information Regulations 2005. Please email us at [2]reuse
[email address]

show quoted sections