Menu
13/12/2006
Government toughens stance on child maintenance
Proposals for a tough new organisation to enforce child maintenance have been unveiled by Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton.
The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (C-MEC) will replace the Child Support Agency. Led by a new Commissioner for Child Maintenance, C-MEC will deliver a simpler and more effective way of assessing, collecting and enforcing child maintenance, Mr Hutton said.
However, the £3.5 billion worth of debt from the Child Support Agency will not be written off, although C-MEC will be given additional powers to chase down debt, including from the estates of deceased non-resident parents.
The proposals include encouraging couples to make their own child maintenance arrangements. However, there are a number of controversial measures, including a change in legislation requiring both parents' names to be registered on a child's birth certificate and forcing parents who refuse to pay maintenance to surrender their passports or be subjected to a curfew.
Parents who have been successfully prosecuted for non-payment would also face having their names published on a website.
Mr Hutton said: "Parents have an absolute responsibility to support their children. These reforms will help ensure that this happens. The new system will be simpler and more effective. Its main focus will be on enforcing maintenance where parents cannot agree. But in future, we will do all we can to help parents reach their own agreements."
However, Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesperson David Laws said: "The government seems to be ducking fundamental reform and proposing a son of CSA, which will simply be a re-badging of the existing agency with a few extras glued on.
"The CSA should be incorporated into the HM Revenue and Customs so that it is easier to assess how much people should pay, and deduct money at source from non-payers.
"If the government wants to get really tough it should pursue non-payers who move abroad, and it must not write off a single penny of unpaid maintenance which has any chance of being collected."
However, campaign group Fathers Direct welcomed the proposals. CEO Duncan Fisher said: “We welcome the White Paper proposals for registering more fathers at the birth, for creating a framework to support parental relationships from the start, for teaching children in school about the importance of shared responsibilities, and for piloting new support services for separating families. We particularly welcome the possibility of a new national telephone helpline for separating families. We support the increased focus on enforcement of child support, so that the goalposts are clear for parents from the start.”
(KMcA/SP)
The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (C-MEC) will replace the Child Support Agency. Led by a new Commissioner for Child Maintenance, C-MEC will deliver a simpler and more effective way of assessing, collecting and enforcing child maintenance, Mr Hutton said.
However, the £3.5 billion worth of debt from the Child Support Agency will not be written off, although C-MEC will be given additional powers to chase down debt, including from the estates of deceased non-resident parents.
The proposals include encouraging couples to make their own child maintenance arrangements. However, there are a number of controversial measures, including a change in legislation requiring both parents' names to be registered on a child's birth certificate and forcing parents who refuse to pay maintenance to surrender their passports or be subjected to a curfew.
Parents who have been successfully prosecuted for non-payment would also face having their names published on a website.
Mr Hutton said: "Parents have an absolute responsibility to support their children. These reforms will help ensure that this happens. The new system will be simpler and more effective. Its main focus will be on enforcing maintenance where parents cannot agree. But in future, we will do all we can to help parents reach their own agreements."
However, Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesperson David Laws said: "The government seems to be ducking fundamental reform and proposing a son of CSA, which will simply be a re-badging of the existing agency with a few extras glued on.
"The CSA should be incorporated into the HM Revenue and Customs so that it is easier to assess how much people should pay, and deduct money at source from non-payers.
"If the government wants to get really tough it should pursue non-payers who move abroad, and it must not write off a single penny of unpaid maintenance which has any chance of being collected."
However, campaign group Fathers Direct welcomed the proposals. CEO Duncan Fisher said: “We welcome the White Paper proposals for registering more fathers at the birth, for creating a framework to support parental relationships from the start, for teaching children in school about the importance of shared responsibilities, and for piloting new support services for separating families. We particularly welcome the possibility of a new national telephone helpline for separating families. We support the increased focus on enforcement of child support, so that the goalposts are clear for parents from the start.”
(KMcA/SP)
Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
28 January 2009
Consultation To End Child Poverty, Launched
The Government has today set out plans to make sure every child gets the best start in life by tackling child poverty, which can unfairly hold children back and prevent them reaching their full potential.
Consultation To End Child Poverty, Launched
The Government has today set out plans to make sure every child gets the best start in life by tackling child poverty, which can unfairly hold children back and prevent them reaching their full potential.
10 December 2009
Child Obesity 'Levelling Off'
New figures have suggested escalating child obesity in the UK is beginning to level off, however, rates are still too high, according to the government. The National Child Measurement Programme suggested families are benefiting from knowing the facts about their child's weight.
Child Obesity 'Levelling Off'
New figures have suggested escalating child obesity in the UK is beginning to level off, however, rates are still too high, according to the government. The National Child Measurement Programme suggested families are benefiting from knowing the facts about their child's weight.
03 August 2009
NSPCC Calls Rise After Death Of Baby P
More people are calling the NSPCC Helpline about serious child abuse since the death of Baby Peter two years ago. Between April 2008 and March 2009, the 24-hour freephone service passed on 11,243 suspected child protection cases to police or social services - an increase of more than a third over two years.
NSPCC Calls Rise After Death Of Baby P
More people are calling the NSPCC Helpline about serious child abuse since the death of Baby Peter two years ago. Between April 2008 and March 2009, the 24-hour freephone service passed on 11,243 suspected child protection cases to police or social services - an increase of more than a third over two years.
08 March 2006
Report notes increase in child porn sites
The number of child porn sites reported to police has increased by almost 80%, a new report has revealed. The report, by the Internet Watch Foundation, said that public intolerance of child abuse sites and the development of new skills aimed at tackling the distribution of such images had led to the increase in reports.
Report notes increase in child porn sites
The number of child porn sites reported to police has increased by almost 80%, a new report has revealed. The report, by the Internet Watch Foundation, said that public intolerance of child abuse sites and the development of new skills aimed at tackling the distribution of such images had led to the increase in reports.
27 October 2008
Benefit Reforms Introduced
Welfare reforms that will change the way single parents apply for child maintenance have been introduced by the Government. Incapacity Benefit will end today for new claimants, and will be replaced with a new benefit - the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) - which the Government said would mark the end of "writing people off".
Benefit Reforms Introduced
Welfare reforms that will change the way single parents apply for child maintenance have been introduced by the Government. Incapacity Benefit will end today for new claimants, and will be replaced with a new benefit - the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) - which the Government said would mark the end of "writing people off".
-
Northern Ireland WeatherToday:It will be cloudy again throughout the day. Mainly dry in the morning, but patchy drizzle in places, becoming more widespread and persistent in the afternoon. Freshening southwesterly winds. Maximum temperature 12 °C.Tonight:Cloudy with a spell of heavy rain pushing south through late evening and the early hours, followed by some clear spells. Minimum temperature 6 °C.
