A net nil. I concede, although I want to study what the Minister said. I am pleased that he has taken the trouble to try to explain the issue. I do not understand why it has changed after three years; if it is that good, it should be a policy...

A net nil. I concede, although I want to study what the Minister said. I am pleased that he has taken the trouble to try to explain the issue. I do not understand why it has changed after three years; if it is that good, it should be a policy...

I thank the Minister for his considerations. It would be useful to probe a little further into the size the Minister envisages for the committee. There must be a limit to how big or small it will be. Turning to Amendments Nos. 15 and 16, if we are going to...

I thank the Minister for his considerations. It would be useful to probe a little further into the size the Minister envisages for the committee. There must be a limit to how big or small it will be. Turning to Amendments Nos. 15 and 16, if we are going to...

We are all grateful to the Minister; he is generous and helps us in every way he can. However, he has not persuaded me that this is a clean break. I do not think he has convinced any of the people I have talked to who work within the professional...

We are all grateful to the Minister; he is generous and helps us in every way he can. However, he has not persuaded me that this is a clean break. I do not think he has convinced any of the people I have talked to who work within the professional...

The noble Lord is quite right; I accept that point. I suggest, however, that what would make the system more acceptable for those who use it would be better assessment arrangements that did not rely upon income details from people who did not want to engage with the commission and...

The noble Lord is quite right; I accept that point. I suggest, however, that what would make the system more acceptable for those who use it would be better assessment arrangements that did not rely upon income details from people who did not want to engage with the commission and...

We are getting into a bit of a dialogue here. Nothing comes to a grinding halt. The CSA will cease to be key operationally when there is a transfer of functions to the commission. Lots of things then follow on from that. When we get to 2010 we will get...

We are getting into a bit of a dialogue here. Nothing comes to a grinding halt. The CSA will cease to be key operationally when there is a transfer of functions to the commission. Lots of things then follow on from that. When we get to 2010 we will get...

moved Amendment No. 2: 2: Clause 1, page 1, line 4, leave out ““a body corporate”” and insert ““an Executive Agency under the control of the Secretary of State”” The noble Lord said: This is another important aspect of the Bill that takes us into the question of whether we...

moved Amendment No. 2: 2: Clause 1, page 1, line 4, leave out ““a body corporate”” and insert ““an Executive Agency under the control of the Secretary of State”” The noble Lord said: This is another important aspect of the Bill that takes us into the question of whether we...

I reject the assertion that there will be operational pressure on the commission to reduce the case load. There are two parts to the scheme, as I mentioned earlier. The first is to encourage voluntary arrangements, which is part—just part—of the agenda to encourage parental responsibility; the second is to...

I reject the assertion that there will be operational pressure on the commission to reduce the case load. There are two parts to the scheme, as I mentioned earlier. The first is to encourage voluntary arrangements, which is part—just part—of the agenda to encourage parental responsibility; the second is to...

I do not know whether the management information that would enable us to judge that will be available. I am not seeking to impute bad faith to the professionals who operate the commission. If the CMEC scheme becomes understood, and is known to be efficient and to provide a good...

I do not know whether the management information that would enable us to judge that will be available. I am not seeking to impute bad faith to the professionals who operate the commission. If the CMEC scheme becomes understood, and is known to be efficient and to provide a good...

I agree with the noble Baroness that the framework she has just described is precisely what DCSF is engaged in. It is looking at supporting parents and promoting the welfare of children across a whole range of issues; but it is right, as part of that Government-wide approach, to be...

I agree with the noble Baroness that the framework she has just described is precisely what DCSF is engaged in. It is looking at supporting parents and promoting the welfare of children across a whole range of issues; but it is right, as part of that Government-wide approach, to be...

I do not know the intricacies of this system. It is not something that I have specialised in; but it is very distressing to have a situation where there is a declaration at the beginning of the existing legislation, as the noble Lord confirmed. My noble friend said what the...

I do not know the intricacies of this system. It is not something that I have specialised in; but it is very distressing to have a situation where there is a declaration at the beginning of the existing legislation, as the noble Lord confirmed. My noble friend said what the...

That is a rather big question which I think we will pick up as we go through our deliberations, but I made the point for a number of reasons. We are increasing the benefit disregard from nil in respect of old scheme cases to £20, from £10 to £20 for...

That is a rather big question which I think we will pick up as we go through our deliberations, but I made the point for a number of reasons. We are increasing the benefit disregard from nil in respect of old scheme cases to £20, from £10 to £20 for...

The noble Lord has just said that the original intention of the 1991 Act was—again I am paraphrasing—to claw back benefits, and to a great extent he is probably correct. But as I said earlier, we are where we are. The noble Lord gave that as the reason why absent...

The noble Lord has just said that the original intention of the 1991 Act was—again I am paraphrasing—to claw back benefits, and to a great extent he is probably correct. But as I said earlier, we are where we are. The noble Lord gave that as the reason why absent...

moved Amendment No. 1: 1: Before Clause 1, insert the following new Clause— ““Objectives of the Act (1) The primary objectives of this Act are— (a) to affirm the right of children to be maintained by their parents; (b) to affirm the obligation of parents to maintain their children; (c)...

moved Amendment No. 1: 1: Before Clause 1, insert the following new Clause— ““Objectives of the Act (1) The primary objectives of this Act are— (a) to affirm the right of children to be maintained by their parents; (b) to affirm the obligation of parents to maintain their children; (c)...

I support the intention of the noble Lords, Lord Kirkwood and Lord Addington, to explore the purposes of the Bill with their proposed new clause, which puts the child right at the centre. Noble Lords will be aware that the church has always believed that the best environment for children...

I support the intention of the noble Lords, Lord Kirkwood and Lord Addington, to explore the purposes of the Bill with their proposed new clause, which puts the child right at the centre. Noble Lords will be aware that the church has always believed that the best environment for children...

I like objective clauses. We have normally failed to get them into a Bill but, where they have been put in, such as in the Education Act, they are enormously useful. I am not sure that the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, has this one entirely right, and I do not...

I like objective clauses. We have normally failed to get them into a Bill but, where they have been put in, such as in the Education Act, they are enormously useful. I am not sure that the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, has this one entirely right, and I do not...

I certainly do not disagree that there should be definitions of responsibility, the engagement of parents and the welfare of their children, all of which goes beyond a definition of maintenance whether it is focused just in terms of money or on a more general provision of facilities. But I...

I certainly do not disagree that there should be definitions of responsibility, the engagement of parents and the welfare of their children, all of which goes beyond a definition of maintenance whether it is focused just in terms of money or on a more general provision of facilities. But I...

In the light of Clause 4, which I have not given sufficient attention to—I apologise—the concerns of the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, and the Minister seem to me to be rather less, because the commission must take the steps it considers appropriate for the purpose...

In the light of Clause 4, which I have not given sufficient attention to—I apologise—the concerns of the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, and the Minister seem to me to be rather less, because the commission must take the steps it considers appropriate for the purpose...

I am reluctant to get involved in this legal argument that is raging over my head. Australians have found a way to fix some of these problems and Professor Patrick Parkinson came over here. Andrew Selous and Paul Rowen in the Public Bill Committee identified some important policy moves and...

I am reluctant to get involved in this legal argument that is raging over my head. Australians have found a way to fix some of these problems and Professor Patrick Parkinson came over here. Andrew Selous and Paul Rowen in the Public Bill Committee identified some important policy moves and...

I accept that, but the point is that most of the children whom the agency will be working with will not come from a divorce situation because usually the parent with care will not be on benefits and therefore the children will already be within the voluntary system. The children...

I accept that, but the point is that most of the children whom the agency will be working with will not come from a divorce situation because usually the parent with care will not be on benefits and therefore the children will already be within the voluntary system. The children...

I asked the Minister whether he would add to the consideration, because surely there will be intercourse—I suppose that is the word—between the department of the noble Lord, Lord Adonis, and the Minister’s own department on exactly this subject. Given what the Minister has just said, would he consider adding...

I asked the Minister whether he would add to the consideration, because surely there will be intercourse—I suppose that is the word—between the department of the noble Lord, Lord Adonis, and the Minister’s own department on exactly this subject. Given what the Minister has just said, would he consider adding...