Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what powers the Child Maintenance Service has to (a) enforce or (b) sanction parents in the event that a parent refuses to pay money that they owe.

The Child Maintenance Group has the following powers which can be applied, immediately, if payment compliance cannot be re-established and are subject to fixed charges:

• Deduction of Earnings Order (£50.00 charge);
• Deduction from Earnings Request (£50.00 charge).

If the paying parent is self-employed or not employed, we can apply:

• Regular Deduction Order ( £50.00 charge);
• Lump Sum Deduction Order (£200.00 charge).

If a bank account is not identified or there are no, or insufficient, funds available to permit any deduction order, the case will be referred for consideration and instigation of legal enforcement action to secure what is owed. The following enforcement powers available are:

• Lump sum deduction order;
• Regular deduction order;
• Freezing order;
• Set aside disposition order;
• Liability order £300 charge;
• Registering liability order at county court (England and Wales);
• Registering liability with the Register of Judgements, Orders and Fines;
• Registering liability with the Enforcement of Judgments Office (Northern Ireland);
• Charging order (England and Wales);
• Order for sale;
• Enforcement agent action (England and Wales);
• Third party debt order (England and Wales);
• Disqualification from holding or obtaining a driving license;
• Commitment to prison;
• Disqualification from holding or obtaining a passport (England and Wales only).

We always strive to achieve long term payment compliance and throughout the enforcement process, the case will continuously be reviewed to determine whether previously unsuccessful action may now be successful.

The Child Maintenance Group regularly reviews enforcement procedures and policies to continuously improve efficiency and effectiveness. Legislation and policy are similarly reviewed with policy colleagues to consider whether other actions should be introduced.