Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1123545

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what grounds can child maintenance be written off by the Child Support Agency.
	tabling member constituency	Bassetlaw
	tabling member printed	John Mann
	uin	248596
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2019 answer text <p>The grounds on which child maintenance arrears may be written off are available in The Child Support (Management of Payments and Arrears) Regulations 2009.</p><p> </p><p>Circumstances include where the receiving parent (or child in Scotland) has died, or requests that the arrears are written off; where the paying parent has died and there is no further action that can be taken to recover the arrears; and where the arrears fall under the circumstances detailed in the child maintenance Compliance and Arrears Strategy.</p><p> </p><p>A comprehensive list of the grounds for write off is available in the link below:</p><p><a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/3151/part/PART4B" target="_blank">https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/3151/part/PART4B</a></p><p> </p><p>The response to the Compliance and Arrears Strategy consultation is available in the link below:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/724358/response-child-maintenance-compliance-and-arrears-strategy-consultation.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/724358/response-child-maintenance-compliance-and-arrears-strategy-consultation.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 02/05/2019 10:28:43 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	1387 label Biography information for Lord Mann

1123546

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people had child maintenance payments written off by the Child Support Agency in 2018.
	tabling member constituency	Bassetlaw
	tabling member printed	John Mann
	uin	248597
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2019 answer text <p>The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics, however we expect these statistics to be published in June 2019. Information on the planned changes to the Child Support Agency Quarterly Statistical Summary to incorporate this information can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-support-agency-statistics-publication-strategy" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-support-agency-statistics-publication-strategy</a></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 02/05/2019 10:12:57 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	1387 label Biography information for Lord Mann

1122422

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what investigatory powers are available to officials in her Department to calculate the (a) income of a parent due to pay child maintenance, (b) amount a parent is able to pay; and what criteria her Department uses to authorise those powers.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	246453
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>When the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) makes a calculation it is based initially on income information received directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Having access to HMRC income information allows the Child Maintenance Service to capture a much wider range of income types received by paying parents. In addition to a parent’s gross annual income, we can capture income derived from property, savings and investments (including dividends) and other miscellaneous income. This is unearned income can be included in the calculation if a request is made to vary the calculation. In December 2018 we introduced new powers which also enable us to target complex earners via a calculation of notional income based on their assets.</p><p> </p><p>Cases involving complex income or suspected fraudulent behaviour can be looked into by the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU). This specialist team can request information from a range of financial institutions to check the accuracy of information the Child Maintenance Service is given. The financial institutions are legally bound to supply the information. When an investigation finds evidence of criminality, the FIU will seek to prosecute or forward to HMRC for fraud action.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 29/04/2019 12:09:12 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1123569

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which groups of parents are not required to pay child maintenance; and what estimate her Department has made of the number of parents who are primary carers for children who do not receive child maintenance.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	248589
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>All parents have a responsibility to support their children. Where an application is made to the Child Maintenance Service, a liability will be calculated based on the gross taxable income of the paying parent, provided all the relevant parties can be identified and are classed as habitually resident in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>In certain circumstances, where the paying parent: has a gross a weekly income below £7 per week; is a child; is in prison; is aged 16-17 years old and in receipt of prescribed benefits; is receiving a work based training allowance; is in a care home, hospital or receiving home care; this liability will be nil.</p><p /><p>The following publication includes statistics on the child maintenance arrangements of separated families:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/separated-families-population-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/separated-families-population-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p>Information on the number of parents who are primary carers for children but do not receive child maintenance is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/05/2019 12:05:38 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1124248

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to collect and publish (a) the number of deductions from benefits and (b) instances of sharing non-compliant parents' information with credit reference agencies.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	249881
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>This question has been interpreted as referring to actions taken by the Child Maintenance Service. The Department does hold information regarding:</p><ol><li>deductions from the benefits received by a paying parent on the Child Maintenance Service in order to pay Child Maintenance;</li><li>instances in which the details of non-compliant paying parents on the Child Maintenance Service have been shared with credit reference agencies.</li></ol><p>The Department has no immediate plans to publish this information. However, with the completion of the Child Support Agency case closure programme, and the implementation of the new Child Maintenance compliance and arrears strategy, the Department continues to review what information is included in regular publications.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 07/05/2019 15:39:15 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1124257

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 29 April 2019 to Question 246453, on Children: Maintenance, how many times each of the powers listed in the Answer have been used.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	249882
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2019 answer text <p>We do not keep information on the number of times Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) request information from financial institutions to check the accuracy of information.</p><p> </p><p>Regarding the number of times Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) will seek to prosecute or forward to HMRC for fraud action. I can confirm there has been one prosecution in 2019 with 3 other cases are being investigated by Crown Prosecution Service. The arrangements with HMRC to provide them with information regarding Child Maintenance Group investigations has been finalised and the first transfer of data will occur in mid May.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 10/05/2019 14:47:10 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1130933

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the process is through which eligibility for child maintenance payments is verified.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Ladywood
	tabling member printed	Shabana Mahmood
	uin	262338
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>In order to make a child maintenance assessment the Child Maintenance Service must identify a receiving parent, a paying parent and at least one qualifying child.</p><p> </p><p>It is not necessary for a person to be receiving Child Benefit for them to be treated as a receiving parent. However, entitlement to Child Benefit is based on an overall care test which is broadly similar to the Child Maintenance policy on day to day care. Payment of Child Benefit is therefore a very good indicator of who should be treated as the receiving parent. Where Child Benefit is not in payment, the Service will request additional evidence from both parents.</p><p> </p><p>For child maintenance purposes, a child must be under 20 years of age and in full time non-advanced education or approved training, and eligible for Child Benefit. They also need to be habitually resident in the UK and usually living in the same household as the receiving parent.</p><p> </p><p>Child Benefit may stay in payment for a period after a child under 20 ceases education or training until a 'terminal date' is reached. Child Benefit will remain payable from the date education or training ceased up to and including the week that includes the first terminal date.</p><p> </p><p>Both paying and receiving parents have a responsibility to inform the Child Maintenance Service of any change in circumstances. If parents inform the Service that a qualifying child has left education, the Child Maintenance Service will seek to verify this and update the maintenance calculation accordingly.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 262340 question first answered 13/06/2019 12:02:47 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	3914 label Biography information for Shabana Mahmood

1130935

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what safeguards her Department have put in place to ensure that the system for child maintenance payments is not open to abuse by people who have left full time education.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Ladywood
	tabling member printed	Shabana Mahmood
	uin	262340
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>In order to make a child maintenance assessment the Child Maintenance Service must identify a receiving parent, a paying parent and at least one qualifying child.</p><p> </p><p>It is not necessary for a person to be receiving Child Benefit for them to be treated as a receiving parent. However, entitlement to Child Benefit is based on an overall care test which is broadly similar to the Child Maintenance policy on day to day care. Payment of Child Benefit is therefore a very good indicator of who should be treated as the receiving parent. Where Child Benefit is not in payment, the Service will request additional evidence from both parents.</p><p> </p><p>For child maintenance purposes, a child must be under 20 years of age and in full time non-advanced education or approved training, and eligible for Child Benefit. They also need to be habitually resident in the UK and usually living in the same household as the receiving parent.</p><p> </p><p>Child Benefit may stay in payment for a period after a child under 20 ceases education or training until a 'terminal date' is reached. Child Benefit will remain payable from the date education or training ceased up to and including the week that includes the first terminal date.</p><p> </p><p>Both paying and receiving parents have a responsibility to inform the Child Maintenance Service of any change in circumstances. If parents inform the Service that a qualifying child has left education, the Child Maintenance Service will seek to verify this and update the maintenance calculation accordingly.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince grouped question UIN 262338 question first answered 13/06/2019 12:02:47 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	3914 label Biography information for Shabana Mahmood

1133566

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to review the Government's decision to calculate child maintenance liabilities as a proportion of gross rather than net parental income; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol North West
	tabling member printed	Darren Jones
	uin	267247
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2019 answer text <p>The paying parent’s gross income is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs for the latest tax year available. Using the paying parent’s gross income allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately.</p><p>There are no plans to change the way the Child Maintenance Service calculates child maintenance liabilities.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 26/06/2019 12:37:04 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4621 label Biography information for Darren Jones

1304776

	registered interest
	date	22/03/2021
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the outcome of the High Court case (R [Blundell & Ors] v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) whether her Department permits the placing of deductions for Child Maintenance payments ahead of all other deductions.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol South
	tabling member printed	Karin Smyth
	uin	173080
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2021 answer text <p>Child Maintenance can be recovered from Universal Credit where claimants who should contribute towards their non-resident children have no earnings.</p><p> </p><p>Schedule 6 of the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker's Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations 2013 sets out the priority order in which Departmental staff must consider all deductions from Universal Credit, including Child Maintenance.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 26/03/2021 15:37:14 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4444 label Biography information for Karin Smyth