Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps are being taken to recover outstanding child maintenance payments in Derby North.

Where parents fail to fulfil their financial responsibilities towards their children we have a range of strong enforcement powers at our disposal. These powers include deducting maintenance directly from earnings, instructing bailiffs to collect arrears or seize goods, forcing the sale of property, commitment to prison and disqualification from driving. We’re also seeking to extend these powers where appropriate for instance deducting money from bank accounts held jointly by the paying parent.