Tom Tugendhat
Conservative - Tonbridge
11,166 (22.2%) majority - 2024 General ElectionFirst elected: 7th May 2015
2 APPG Officer Positions (as of 1 Dec 2025)
Estonia, Literacy4 APPG Memberships
Autism, Fair Banking, Investment Fraud and Fairer Financial Services, Taiwan16 Former APPG Officer Positions
14-19 Education, Afghanistan, Business Improvement Districts, Counter-Extremism, Cultural Heritage, Extreme Poverty, Fair Business Banking, Food Banks, Foodbanks, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity, Packaging Manufacturing Industry, Parental Participation in Education, Pro Bono, Public Legal Education, Public Legal Education and Pro Bono, Terminal IllnessDivision Voting information
Debates during the 2024 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Department Debates
(28 debate contributions)
(19 debate contributions)
(12 debate contributions)
(10 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(1,796 words contributed)
(1,589 words contributed)
(1,448 words contributed)
(905 words contributed)
Tonbridge Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
of 35,238 signatures (0.47%)
of 61,086 signatures (0.35%)
of 105,751 signatures (0.22%)
of 175,789 signatures (0.20%)
of 2,972,230 signatures (0.15%)
of 670,815 signatures (0.17%)
of 259,727 signatures (0.15%)
of 175,789 signatures (0.20%)
of 191,524 signatures (0.16%)
Latest EDMs signed by Tom Tugendhat
Mauritius Treaty
Tabled by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)That the Agreement, done at London and Port Louis on 22 May 2025, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, should not be ratified.
(Most recent: 1 Jul 2025)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 92
Reform UK: 5
Independent: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 3
Traditional Unionist Voice: 1
Ulster Unionist Party: 1
Labour: 1
TEACHERS' PAY IN WALES
Tabled by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)That this House cautiously welcomes the long over-due pay rise of 3.5 per cent for teachers and other public sector workers, many of whom have faced real-term cuts to their wages in recent years; notes, however, that teachers in Wales are concerned as to whether the pay rise applies to …
(Most recent: 9 Oct 2018)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 6
Plaid Cymru: 3
Labour: 3
Independent: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
Conservative: 1
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Tom Tugendhat, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Tom Tugendhat has not been granted any Urgent Questions
1 Adjournment Debate led by Tom Tugendhat
1 Bill introduced by Tom Tugendhat
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to increase the maximum custodial sentence for the offences of child cruelty and causing or allowing a child or vulnerable adult to die or suffer serious physical harm to imprisonment for life; and for connected purposes.
15 Bills co-sponsored by Tom Tugendhat
Freedom of Expression (Religion or Belief System) Bill 2024-26
Sponsor - Nick Timothy (Con)
Cyber Extortion and Ransomware (Reporting) Bill 2024-26
Sponsor - Bradley Thomas (Con)
Pets (Microchips) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - James Daly (Con)
Desecration of War Memorials Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Jonathan Gullis (Con)
National Health Service Reserve Staff Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Alan Mak (Con)
Flexible Working Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Helen Whately (Con)
Police Officer Training (Autism Awareness) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Ann Clwyd (Lab)
Armed Forces (Derogation from European Convention on Human Rights) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Leo Docherty (Con)
Low-level Letter Boxes (Prohibition) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Vicky Ford (Con)
Immigration Detention of Victims of Torture and Other Vulnerable People (Safeguards) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Joan Ryan (TIG)
Ceramics (Country of Origin Marking) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)
Sanctions (Human Rights Abuse and Corruption) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Lord Austin of Dudley (None)
Children of Armed Services Personnel (Schools Admission) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Con)
Statutory Nuisance (Aircraft Noise) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Tania Mathias (Con)
Unlawful Killing (Recovery of Remains) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Conor McGinn (Ind)
Latest 39 Written Questions
(View all written questions)Information on the school workforce, including the number of teachers in state-funded schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.
41,736 qualified teachers joined state-funded schools in England for the 2024/25 academic year, the latest date for which data is available: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/3d4415a2-a099-427d-d209-08de2129b4fd. This has been available since 5 June 2025.
School workforce statistics for the 2025/26 academic year will be published in summer 2026.
Minister of State (Education)
HM Treasury published a tax information and impact note (TIIN) on applying VAT to independent school fees, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees#who-is-likely-to-be-affected. The note contains information on the impacts on individuals and families, and the government’s estimates of the number of pupils expected to enter the state sector as a result of this policy. The government does not collect pupil-level data from private schools and therefore cannot track pupil movements out of private schools into the state sector. Latest published figures confirm that pupil numbers remain within historical patterns seen for over 20 years, with no evidence of excessive pressure on the state system. The department works with local authorities to help them fulfil their duty to secure school places, including for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The reforms to VAT and business rates, ending the exemptions which private schools previously enjoyed, are expected to raise £1.8 billion a year by 2029/30. This measure will raise essential revenue that will be invested in our public services, such as our £3.7 billion increase to school funding in 2025/26, taking core school funding to £65.3 billion compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
HM Treasury published a tax information and impact note (TIIN) on applying VAT to independent school fees, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees#who-is-likely-to-be-affected. The note contains information on the impacts on individuals and families, and the government’s estimates of the number of pupils expected to enter the state sector as a result of this policy. The government does not collect pupil-level data from private schools and therefore cannot track pupil movements out of private schools into the state sector. Latest published figures confirm that pupil numbers remain within historical patterns seen for over 20 years, with no evidence of excessive pressure on the state system. The department works with local authorities to help them fulfil their duty to secure school places, including for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The reforms to VAT and business rates, ending the exemptions which private schools previously enjoyed, are expected to raise £1.8 billion a year by 2029/30. This measure will raise essential revenue that will be invested in our public services, such as our £3.7 billion increase to school funding in 2025/26, taking core school funding to £65.3 billion compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
HM Treasury published a tax information and impact note (TIIN) on applying VAT to independent school fees, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees#who-is-likely-to-be-affected. The note contains information on the impacts on individuals and families, and the government’s estimates of the number of pupils expected to enter the state sector as a result of this policy. The government does not collect pupil-level data from private schools and therefore cannot track pupil movements out of private schools into the state sector. Latest published figures confirm that pupil numbers remain within historical patterns seen for over 20 years, with no evidence of excessive pressure on the state system. The department works with local authorities to help them fulfil their duty to secure school places, including for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The reforms to VAT and business rates, ending the exemptions which private schools previously enjoyed, are expected to raise £1.8 billion a year by 2029/30. This measure will raise essential revenue that will be invested in our public services, such as our £3.7 billion increase to school funding in 2025/26, taking core school funding to £65.3 billion compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
HM Treasury published a tax information and impact note (TIIN) on applying VAT to independent school fees, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees#who-is-likely-to-be-affected. The note contains information on the impacts on individuals and families, and the government’s estimates of the number of pupils expected to enter the state sector as a result of this policy. The government does not collect pupil-level data from private schools and therefore cannot track pupil movements out of private schools into the state sector. Latest published figures confirm that pupil numbers remain within historical patterns seen for over 20 years, with no evidence of excessive pressure on the state system. The department works with local authorities to help them fulfil their duty to secure school places, including for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The reforms to VAT and business rates, ending the exemptions which private schools previously enjoyed, are expected to raise £1.8 billion a year by 2029/30. This measure will raise essential revenue that will be invested in our public services, such as our £3.7 billion increase to school funding in 2025/26, taking core school funding to £65.3 billion compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department values the Hadlow Rural Community School’s land-based curriculum offer. We have been, and remain, willing to consider how the department might support the school to continue to provide a broad land-based offer.
As part of this consideration, in October 2024 departmental officials were in contact with North Kent College to understand their appetite for allowing the school to access the college’s neighbouring land-based facilities.
Ministers have had no contact with North Kent College about this matter.
1 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions
(View all Tom Tugendhat's Defra questions)The Water Supply and Sewerage Services (Customer Service Standards) Regulations 2008 are often referred to as the Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS). The GSS establishes baseline expectations for customer service and corresponding payments to be made to affected customers when the standards have not been met. The independent economic regulator Ofwat provides guidance on the scheme, as well as monitors and makes determinations to resolve disputes over GSS claims between companies and customers.
Following a public consultation, the Government confirmed on 17 December 2024 that it will introduce new and increased statutory payments of double the previous amounts or more. The changes will also see the list of circumstances that can trigger compensation expand.
Furthermore, in October 2024 UK and Welsh Governments launched what is expected to be the largest review of the water sector since privatisation, with an Independent Water Commission to examine the sector and its regulatory framework.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Administrative child maintenance schemes have operated in the UK since 1993. This response addresses the position of arrears under the 2012 child maintenance scheme, which has managed new applications since December 2012. There are legislative differences between arrears arising under this scheme and those accrued under previous schemes.
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has a low percentage of unpaid maintenance. 7% of the total maintenance due to be paid since the CMS began, remains to be collected through Collect & Pay
Under the CMS 2012 scheme, all arrears are regarded as collectable unless the receiving parent (or child in Scotland) requests that CMS cease action, or in limited circumstances such as the death of the paying parent where recovery from the estate is not possible. As arrears are owed to the receiving parent rather than the Secretary of State, CMS does not deem any debt uncollectable. CMS continues to focus on enforcement based on the paying parent’s ability to pay, which may vary over time, and actively pursues unpaid maintenance of all ages to ensure children receive the financial support to which they are entitled.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service is committed to ensuring that child maintenance is paid in full and on time, and where arrears occur we take robust action to recover money owed to children and families.
The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service and the latest statistics are currently available to June 2025. Table 5 of the latest National tables shows the total amount of child maintenance that Paying Parents should have paid since the Child Maintenance Service began, and how much of that has not been paid as at the end of June 2025.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
While not specified in the question, we have linked your query to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), as you have raised other questions today on this topic.
In 2020–21, DWP, introduced a single-tier complaints model to ensure that the process for raising complaints is simple and consistent for customers, including where contact is received from Members of Parliament on behalf of constituents. This model returned complaints handling back to specialist teams within service delivery, enabling the Department to strengthen capability and improve the quality of complaint responses. It also introduced a single software solution for managing complaints and correspondence across DWP.
To embed consistency, we have implemented a Complaints Quality Standards Framework, supported by quality assurance measures, and aligned to the Cross Government Complaints Standards. Under our service standard, when a customer makes a complaint, whether directly or via an MP, the Department aims to provide a response within 15 working days or advise when they can expect a response, if the matter is complex and will take longer.
MPs and their office staff can contact the CMS via dedicated routes, in writing or by phone. The CMS MP hotline is staffed by Complaint Resolution Managers, who aim to provide an on the call response to enquiries where possible or will arrange a call back in more complex cases.
The CMS is committed to delivering a modern, efficient service that meets the needs of all customers. We are focusing on digital solutions and self-service to provide greater choice and flexibility to its customers. We have Increased use of SMS text and email and simplified letters for clarity. Online service 'My Child Maintenance Case' (MCMC) allows parents to access their case information 24/7. We have Introduced online messaging for certain processes, allowing customers to respond to information requests at their convenience, with plans for further expansion. Promoting self-service frees up resources for complex phone queries and vulnerable customers. Improved call routing ensures more calls go directly to case-owning teams for a faster, more responsive service.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is dedicated to ensuring parents meet their responsibilities to provide their children with financial support.
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) aims to provide fast, accurate and transparent assessments, based on the paying parent’s income, primarily their gross annual income provided by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). If there are no significant changes in circumstances occurring, the maintenance calculation remains in place for a year at which point the CMS calculates a new liability as part of the annual review service. However, the CMS do continue to deal with unexpected events and major changes in year, in circumstances such as a move into or out of employment, or only where income changes by at least 25% from the latest annual income information provided by HMRC. This helps to keep calculations up to date and reduces the need for changes in income to be reported during the year.
Where maintenance is due to be paid, the CMS issues all customers a payment plan which details what their expected child maintenance payments are. Where parents fail to pay their on-going maintenance as expected, any unpaid amounts are then considered as arrears. For parents who use the Direct Pay service, they are required to notify the CMS if payments have not been made to allow arrears balances to be updated.
The CMS take proactive actions to move Paying Parents who are not paying their child maintenance back into compliant behaviours as soon as a missed payment is identified. Where payments have defaulted, we use our enforcement powers fairly and quickly to get cases back into payment.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to improving digital services and aligning with the Department’s aim to deliver modern, efficient, and responsive services to customers.
In June 2025, we published a response to our consultation outlining our intention to remove Direct Pay as a service type, to increase effective maintenance arrangements and help lift children out of poverty. This reform will be a main priority in our digital plans over the next few years, alongside modernising technology to be cloud-based, data-driven and scalable.
We continue to improve our digital services based on customer needs. Online services, including Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance and My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC), allow parents to access advice and manage their case 24/7. We have introduced online messaging for some processes and plan to expand this further.
We work closely with the courts on child maintenance matters, but there are no current plans to review data-sharing processes. Any future proposals would comply with data protection laws and ensure strong security.
Some aspects of our online services already use Real Time Information (RTI) from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Gross income details for paying parents, including PAYE, are taken directly from HMRC for the latest tax year, allowing quick and accurate calculations. CMS also uses HMRC RTI to verify current income where it differs by 25% or more from the tax year figure. This threshold provides stability for both parents and avoids frequent recalculations for minor changes.
The Government is currently reviewing the child maintenance calculation to ensure it remains fit for purpose, including updating underlying research and considering how to reflect current and future societal trends.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to improving digital services and aligning with the Department’s aim to deliver modern, efficient, and responsive services to customers.
In June 2025, we published a response to our consultation outlining our intention to remove Direct Pay as a service type, to increase effective maintenance arrangements and help lift children out of poverty. This reform will be a main priority in our digital plans over the next few years, alongside modernising technology to be cloud-based, data-driven and scalable.
We continue to improve our digital services based on customer needs. Online services, including Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance and My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC), allow parents to access advice and manage their case 24/7. We have introduced online messaging for some processes and plan to expand this further.
We work closely with the courts on child maintenance matters, but there are no current plans to review data-sharing processes. Any future proposals would comply with data protection laws and ensure strong security.
Some aspects of our online services already use Real Time Information (RTI) from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Gross income details for paying parents, including PAYE, are taken directly from HMRC for the latest tax year, allowing quick and accurate calculations. CMS also uses HMRC RTI to verify current income where it differs by 25% or more from the tax year figure. This threshold provides stability for both parents and avoids frequent recalculations for minor changes.
The Government is currently reviewing the child maintenance calculation to ensure it remains fit for purpose, including updating underlying research and considering how to reflect current and future societal trends.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Where the Independent Case Examiner identifies maladministration in cases it investigates, an upheld finding will be reached. Such findings are either upheld, whereby the complaint is fully accepted and evidence supports the complaint, or partially upheld whereby some, but not all, of the issues raised in the complaint have merit.
The data in the table below provides a combined total of upheld and partially upheld outcomes in the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) cases the Independent Case Examiner considered over the last five full reporting years.
| 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | Total |
Upheld / partially upheld outcomes | 208 | 313 | 311 | 474 | 459 | 1765 |
Joanna Wallace, the Independent Case Examiner, provided written evidence to the House of Lords Public Services Committee Child Maintenance Inquiry 2025, in which she commented on emergent themes or common issues seen in CMS complaints.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department regularly publishes Child Maintenance Service official statistics. The complaints received for quarter ending June 2015 to quarter ending June 2025 are available in Table 11 of the accompanying National tables.
A new publication containing data on DWP complaints received and their outcomes, including those within the Child Maintenance Service, is due to be published on 16 December 2025. Data within this publication will cover the period quarter ending September 2020 to quarter ending September 2025.
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government is committed to maximising the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), which plays a vital role in ensuring that children receive the financial support to which they are entitled. Only 7 per cent of the total maintenance due since the CMS commenced operations in 2012 remains outstanding through the Collect and Pay service.
Significant reforms to the CMS have already been announced setting out our intention to move to a single service where all payments will be collected and transferred on behalf of parents. This reform will enable the CMS to address non-compliance more swiftly and provide enhanced support to victims and survivors of domestic abuse.
The CMS have a strong range of enforcement powers and continually review how these can be strengthened to improve the CMS’s ability to deploy enforcement measures more widely and select the most appropriate action in each case.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
For self-employed paying parents, the gross income used in a maintenance calculation is provided by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in the first instance. HMRC will provide details of the gross taxable profit of the paying parent's business, for the most recent complete tax year
People who are self-employed are required to keep accurate records of their business income and expenses for tax purposes. HMRC can charge penalties for inaccurate reporting where it results in tax being unpaid.
Where a paying parent is the Director of their limited liability company, they are legally an employee of that company and are treated the same as any other employee for child maintenance purposes.
If the receiving parent believes that the paying parent has additional income as a result of their employment status, for example, dividends they can apply for a variation to include this income in the maintenance calculation.
Cases involving complex income can be investigated by the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU). This is a specialist team which can request information from financial institutions to check the accuracy of information the CMS is given. The FIU uses its extensive investigative powers to ensure that families receive child maintenance appropriately and in accordance with the paying parent’s whole income.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) have implemented measures in line with the Independent Case Examiner's recommendations in each of the last five years.
Actions include strengthening enforcement processes, improving complaint handling procedures, enhancing staff training, updating guidance, and reviewing policies to ensure fairer outcomes for parents and children. These actions demonstrate CMS commitment to learning from ICE recommendations and improving the experience of CMS customers.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) is the process where a parent asks the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to review a decision before appealing to His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. It can be requested at any stage of a case or after an unsuccessful application. If CMS finds the original decision incorrect or receives new information, the decision may be revised.
The CMS is committed to ensuring decisions are timely, accurate, fair, and based on all relevant information provided by parents.
The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) and the latest statistics are currently available to June 2025.
Table 9 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of mandatory reconsideration requests received by the CMS and the outcomes occurring each quarter, and the number and percentage cleared within 28 days of receipt, from quarter ending June 2015 to quarter ending June 2025.
Table 10 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of appeals made by parents to His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service to review a decision made by the CMS each quarter, from quarter ending June 2015 to quarter ending June 2025.
The information requested on the average time it takes the Child Maintenance Service to review these requests and, total value of revised liabilities, is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) remains committed to providing timely, transparent, and accurate information to parents.
Parents can access full statements at any time via the Child Maintenance Self Service portal, My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC), which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They do not need to request this from the CMS, as an online statement is always available.
When CMS recalculates maintenance due to a change in circumstances or a variation, we are legally required to notify both parents in writing. These letters, which include a detailed breakdown of the calculation, are also available online via MCMC.
Where a parent disputes their arrears balance, they can request a full account breakdown. This is a manual process. CMS does not systematically record the time taken to complete these requests, so the data requested is not available.
All calculation decisions can be challenged through the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) process, which allows a parent to ask CMS to review a decision before appealing to His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. During MR, CMS re-examines the decision and considers any new information provided. If the original decision is found to be incorrect, it will be revised.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) is the process where a parent asks the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to review a decision before appealing to His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. It can be requested at any stage of a case or after an unsuccessful application. If CMS finds the original decision incorrect or receives new information, the decision may be revised.
The CMS is committed to ensuring decisions are timely, accurate, fair, and based on all relevant information provided by parents.
The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) and the latest statistics are currently available to June 2025.
Table 9 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of mandatory reconsideration requests received by the CMS and the outcomes occurring each quarter, and the number and percentage cleared within 28 days of receipt, from quarter ending June 2015 to quarter ending June 2025.
Table 10 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of appeals made by parents to His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service to review a decision made by the CMS each quarter, from quarter ending June 2015 to quarter ending June 2025.
The information requested on the average time it takes the Child Maintenance Service to review these requests and, total value of revised liabilities, is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) aims to complete 80 percent of initial maintenance calculations within six weeks The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) and the latest statistics are currently available to June 2025. Table 1 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of applications received by CMS for each quarter and the percentage cleared within 6 weeks and 12 weeks, from quarter ending June 2024 to quarter ending June 2025
The main causes of delay in completing maintenance calculations include parent disputes, where we need to trace and verify the paying parent’s identity or location and when income investigation and verification is required
We continue to mitigate these factors through income verification from HMRC or benefits systems, quality assurance controls, and responsive resourcing to meet service-level targets.
The CMS is committed to making the most effective use of its strong enforcement powers, and we have made a number of improvements to its processes to drive case compliance and challenge non-compliant behaviours, but we do not currently have performance targets on the time to enforcement following non-payment.
We are dedicated to using enforcement powers fairly and in the best interests of children and separated families, but the specific actions taken following non-payment, and associated timescales will vary depending on the circumstances of a case.
CMS monitors customer experience and satisfaction as part of its regular operational rhythm, however, we do not currently have customer satisfaction performance targets for CMS, but work is ongoing to develop benchmarks against which we can measure performance.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) aims to complete 80 percent of initial maintenance calculations within six weeks The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) and the latest statistics are currently available to June 2025. Table 1 of the latest National tables includes information on the total number of applications received by CMS for each quarter and the percentage cleared within 6 weeks and 12 weeks, from quarter ending June 2024 to quarter ending June 2025
The main causes of delay in completing maintenance calculations include parent disputes, where we need to trace and verify the paying parent’s identity or location and when income investigation and verification is required
We continue to mitigate these factors through income verification from HMRC or benefits systems, quality assurance controls, and responsive resourcing to meet service-level targets.
The CMS is committed to making the most effective use of its strong enforcement powers, and we have made a number of improvements to its processes to drive case compliance and challenge non-compliant behaviours, but we do not currently have performance targets on the time to enforcement following non-payment.
We are dedicated to using enforcement powers fairly and in the best interests of children and separated families, but the specific actions taken following non-payment, and associated timescales will vary depending on the circumstances of a case.
CMS monitors customer experience and satisfaction as part of its regular operational rhythm, however, we do not currently have customer satisfaction performance targets for CMS, but work is ongoing to develop benchmarks against which we can measure performance.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Treasury engages regularly with the UK insurance sector on a range of issues, including on the consolidation of corporate sponsored defined benefit pension schemes which are also discussed with a wide range of other stakeholders.
More broadly, the Government has consulted on options for private sector defined benefit schemes, including proposals on a public sector consolidator. The Government is currently considering consultation responses and will set out its response in due course.
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government announced in December 2024 the launch of the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP), a cross-Government programme that will bring existing Afghan resettlement schemes into one single pipeline. Whilst this is not a new resettlement scheme, it will ensure we support those eligible Afghans and their family members, including those who are vulnerable, to rebuild their lives in the UK.
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As of 12 February 2025, there are 3,467 outstanding requests for a review of a negative decision on an Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) principal or Additional Family Member (AFM) application. Of these, 1,604 have been pending for more than six months.
Whilst every effort is made to process applications as quickly as possible, each application is considered on a case-by-case basis taking into account the evidence available. The Ministry of Defence has received over 170,000 separate ARAP applications, some of which are duplicates or erroneous, but all require individual deliberation. Within this, certain cases are particularly complex and can take longer to process in order to reach the appropriate outcome.
We inherited a considerable backlog in applications to process as the new Government and I am aware that people have been waiting longer than I would want for an outcome of an application. Therefore, I have directed officials to ensure that this backlog is cleared at pace whilst ensuring every case is processed correctly.
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As of 12 February 2025, there are 1,062 outstanding Additional Family Member (AFM) applications from individuals who have already been resettled under the current and previous Afghan resettlement schemes administered by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Of these, 502 have been pending for more than six months.
Whilst every effort is made to process applications as quickly as possible, each application is considered on a case-by-case basis taking into account the evidence available. The MOD has received over 170,000 separate ARAP applications, some of which are duplicates or erroneous, but all require individual deliberation. Within this, certain cases are particularly complex and can take longer to process in order to reach the appropriate outcome.
We inherited a considerable backlog in applications to process as the new Government and I am aware that people have been waiting longer than I would want for an outcome of an application. Therefore, I have directed officials to ensure that this backlog is cleared at pace whilst ensuring every case is processed correctly.
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Every application submitted under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme is considered on a case-by-case basis taking into account the evidence available. Whilst every effort is made to process applications as quickly as possible, some complex cases can take longer to process so that the appropriate decision is reached in each case. Due to this individual approach, a statutory timeframe would not be suitable.
I am paying close attention to this issue and have asked officials to make every effort to ensure decision-making is accelerated wherever possible, in particular for cases that have been awaiting an answer for some time.
This approach remains unchanged following the announcement of the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP), which draws Afghan resettlement into a single delivery pipeline whilst retaining the current eligibility criteria of individual schemes such as ARAP.
We inherited a considerable backlog in applications to process as the new Government and I am aware that people have been waiting longer than I would want for an outcome of an application. Therefore, I have directed officials to ensure that this backlog is cleared at pace whilst ensuring every case is processed correctly.
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
On 1 March 2025, the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme and the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will become part of the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP). The ARP is a cross-Government delivery programme which will bring existing resettlement routes into one, single pipeline. It is designed to make the delivery of Afghan resettlement simpler and more cost-effective, to help deliver better outcomes overall.
Unfortunately, it is not feasible to breakdown those relocating to the UK by job role, including those who worked directly for His Majesty’s Government, in order to issue Proof of Employment certificates. However, the Government will continue to support those Afghans who have resettled in the UK through the ARP. This includes through supporting Afghan arrivals into self-sufficiency as quickly as possible to restart their lives in the UK.
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
4 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Questions
(View all Tom Tugendhat's MHCLG questions)It is the responsibility of councils to manage their budgets, and it is standard for councils to borrow and to hold debt, which they will do in the normal course of business. Local government reorganisation does not change this.
The Government is seeking to provide a fast track to mayoral devolution by May 2026 for areas ready to come together under sensible geographies which meet the criteria set out in the White Paper.
It is the responsibility of councils to manage their budgets, and it is standard for councils to borrow and to hold debt, which they will do in the normal course of business. Local government reorganisation does not change this. The government has a framework to support councils in financial difficulty. Previous Secretaries of State used statutory powers to intervene in a small number of councils failing their best value duty partly associated with high levels of unsustainable debt. We will continue to work with best value commissioners in these councils to support the councils’ financial recovery.
The government will continue to engage with stakeholders, including representatives of police forces and Police and Crime Commissioners, to ensure that the provisions of Renters’ Rights Bill operate effectively.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)