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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)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A showery start with outbreaks most frequent north of Lough Neagh and through the morning, before dwindling during the afternoon as the northwest breezes ease and brighter spells of weak sunshine prosper. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A dry night, save for a few light showers around the coasts, with prolonged clear spells and light winds bringing a frosty dawn for many in central and southern parts. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
