Lawyers divorce family ActFAMILY LAW ACT 1996: solicitors in agreement as government formally ditches part IIFamily lawyers were this week celebrating the government's decision to scrap pt II of the Family Law Act 1996 which would have introduced no-fault divorce and compulsory information meetings.Lord Chancellor's Department minister Jane Kennedy MP said key research into information meetings, also published this week, showed that none of the six models of meetings piloted was 'good enough' for the implementation of pt II.She said the research - conducted by Professor Janet Walker, director of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Centre for Family Studies - showed that for most people, the meetings came too late to save marriages and tended to incline those who were uncertain towards divorce.

Although the provision of information was valued by most people, many found it too inflexible and wanted information to be tailored to their needs.

In the vast number of cases, only the person petitioning for divorce attended the meeting, the report revealed.The minister said there was also concern over the procedural framework of pt II.

She said procedures were 'complex' and likely to lead to 'significant delay and uncertainty which would not be in the best interests of the couple or their children'.The Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, said the Act was not the best way to support marriage and families where relationships fail.

He said he would ask Parliament to repeal pt II 'once a suitable legislative opportunity occurs'.The government reaffirmed its commitment to support failing marriages by announcing funding of 4.5 million to marriage and relationship support groups next year.

Law Society President Michael Napier congratulated the government on scrapping what he called 'this totally unworkable part of the Act'.

He added: 'It is disappointing that no-fault divorce will be lost in the process, but we will not stop pressing for its introduction.'Peter Watson-Lee, chairman of the Law Society's family law committee, also welcomed the 'official demise' of pt II.

'The concepts of no-fault divorce and providing information to parting couples are both good but were lost in the procedural hoops of pt II,' he said.Solicitors Family Law Association chairman Rosemary Carter - whose group also supports no-fault divorce - said all those who had struggled to make sense of the 'muddled' legislation of pt II would be pleased to see the back of it.

Sue Allen