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Dept for Work and Pensions;Child Support Agency

Answer

Mr. Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what methods are employed by the Child Support Agency to recover arrears of child maintenance by absent self-employed parents. [118029] Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member. Letter from Doug Smith to Huw Edwards of 13 June 2003: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive replyfrom the Chief Executive. You ask what methods are employed by the Child Support Agency to recover arrears of child maintenance by absent self- employed parents. In these circumstances the non resident parent will be approached by a caseworker who will seek to reach an agreement on payment which is acceptable to all parties. If that does not prove possible the caseworker will make a decision on the most appropriate payment arrangement having regard to all relevant facts and will seek the agreement of the non resident parent to that. If that is not agreed the Agency may apply to the Magistrates Court for a Liability Order, which is required before we can take any formal enforcement proceedings. If the Court has granted a Liability Order, we may then try to recover the debt by one or more of the following actions: (a) Levying of distress involving the use of Bailiffs (b) Establishing a third party debt order--allowing money owed to the debtor to be frozen and sent to us to cover the outstanding debt (c) Establishing a charging order- registering the debt against certain assets owned by the debtor (d) Registering a County Court judgement, which may affect the debtors creditrating (e) Applying for a warrant to commit the debtor to prison or for an order preventing them from holding or obtaining a driving licence. The position I describe applies to England and Wales with a different but broadly similar approach in Scotland.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

118029; 407 c91-2W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Children Arrears Child Support Agency Maintenance Self-employed

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk