Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Western and Will Forster

Monday 7th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Will Forster (Woking) (LD)]

3. What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service in collecting payments.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)]

The Child Maintenance Service is committed to ensuring that separated parents support their children financially and to taking robust enforcement action against those who do not do so. Between March 2023 and March this year, the percentage of parents paying something towards maintenance through collect and pay increased from 65% to 69%. This Government recognise that child maintenance payments play a crucial role in keeping hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty each year, and we are determined to do all we can to increase those collection levels further.

[Mr Forster]

Given that around half of children in separated families—that is 1.8 million children—are receiving no support from their non-residential parent, does the Minister know when that figure might change?

[Andrew Western]

The hon. Gentleman raises an important point about those families who receive no support. I am told that the figure is actually around 40%, but none the less it is not good enough. Although there are varied reasons for that—indeed, there are some parents who do not want an arrangement—we are looking, as he may be aware, at a recently concluded consultation on the future of the Child Maintenance Service. We will consider our next steps with a view to trying to increase collection levels wherever we can.