Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Maintenance Service cases involve missed payments for more than three months before enforcement action begins; and what factors account for delays.

The information requested on the time from missed payments to enforcement action is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) remains committed to ensuring that children receive the financial support to which they are entitled and will always attempt to secure alternative methods of payments to gain improved compliance in cases where this fails.

While enforcement aims to be swift, paying parents have a right to appeal, which can delay proceedings. The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) must balance timely action with procedural fairness.