A NEW petition which has come about as a 'direct consequence' of the Jade's Law campaign is calling for a complete overhaul of the laws surrounding parental responsibility.

The “Jade’s Law” campaign - set up last April by Edwin Duggan on behalf of the family of Shotton mum Jade Ward - effectively brought the nation together both in the shock at her murder and the realisation that her estranged husband and killer Russel Marsh still held Parental Responsibility (PR) for their children.

A petition calling for parents who kill the other parent to have their PR automatically suspended was signed by over 130,000 people from every single constituency in the country.

READ MORE: MP takes the positives following Jade's Law meeting at Parliament

During the debate held in Parliament on November 7, MPs from both sides of the House were in no doubt that “something” should be done. 

Although the minister sent by the Ministry of Justice (Edward Argar) fell short of promising that “Jade’s Law” would be implemented by the present Government, he did offer Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami an “olive branch” by suggesting that he would meet at a later date in order to discuss the matter further.

Now Mr Duggan has launched a second petition - which can be found by clicking here - this time focussing more widely on the needs of every parent and child.

He said: "Since the debate Mr Tami has had the meeting with The Minister of State, and it has to be noted that although nothing was ruled out, the meeting did not end with an absolute answer either way on the argument.

"By the looks of things the work has only just begun. My thinking in raising a second petition, although not focused on Jade’s Law entirely, was simple. 

"Firstly, during the campaign and the subsequent debate it became very apparent to both myself and to many MPs that the scant legislation concerning PR as defined within the 1989 Children’s Act falls short in many aspects for both protection of parents who are either together or separated, more importantly it does not fully provide for any child(ren) that might be involved in a domestic issue. 

READ MORE: "Your views are so important" - Have your say on Parental Responsibility law

"The section which 'concentrates' on PR is vague. The few sentences 'beg' for a widening and more formal, detailed, forthright, and inclusive structure. 

"It both fails the courts and more importantly the parent. It fails to outline a detailed structure in the duties of a parent and fails to detail any punitive measure which might be sanctioned upon a person in breach of such measures. 

"The courts are not able to govern breaches fairly without being provided the appropriate statutory instruments. A complete overhaul of PR is needed and has to be debated in the House in order to “drag” it into the 21st century proper.

"This review and hopefully reform of the PR element of Section 3 of the Children’s Act 1989 will assist every parent whether they be together or separated, and most importantly every child now and in the future."