House of Commons Public Bill Committee Proceedings

House of Commons

Session 2006 - 07
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Other Bills before Parliament

11

House of Commons

Tuesday 24th July 2007

Public Bill Committee Proceedings

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill

[fifth and sixth Sittings]

Danny Alexander

Paul Rowen

Withdrawn  68

Clause  6,  page  2,  line  27,  after ‘fees’, insert ‘to a person who has failed to pay an

amount of child support maintenance’.

Danny Alexander

Paul Rowen

Mr Mike Weir

Negatived on division  84

Clause  6,  page  2,  line  27,  at end insert—

‘(1A)
The Secretary of State may only make regulations under subsection (1) when he

is satisfied that the Commission is capable of providing a satisfactory service to

parents and children in terms of its duties under this Act.’.

Mr James Plaskitt

Agreed to  57

Clause  6,  page  2,  line  38,  at end insert—

‘(3A)
The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that the provisions of the Child

Support Act 1991 (c. 48) with respect to—

(a)
the collection of child support maintenance,

(b)
the enforcement of any obligation to pay child support maintenance,


shall apply equally (with any necessary modifications) to fees payable by virtue

of regulations under subsection (1).’.

Clause, as amended, Agreed to.

Danny Alexander

Paul Rowen

Withdrawn  38

Clause  7,  page  3,  line  14,  at end insert—

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 24th July 2007
12

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, continued

‘(1A)
Before any arrangements are made pursuant to subsection (1) above, the

Commission must ensure that consideration has been given to how the specific

arrangements sought will contribute to the Commission’s main objective of

maximising the number of children living apart from one or both of their parents

for whom effective maintenance arrangements are in place.’.

Clause Agreed to.

Andrew Selous

Mr Mark Harper

Mr Stewart Jackson

Withdrawn  99

Clause  8,  page  3,  line  26,  at end insert ‘, except for functions relating to collection

and enforcement exercised under sections 19 to 28 of this Act.’.

Danny Alexander

Paul Rowen

Not called  39

Clause  8,  page  3,  line  26,  at end insert—

‘(1A)
Before any authorisation is given pursuant to subsection (1) above, the

Commission must ensure that consideration has been given to how the specific

authorisation sought will contribute to the Commission’s main objective of

maximising the number of children living apart from one or both of their parents

for whom effective maintenance arrangements are in place.’.

Clause Agreed to.

Andrew Selous

Mr Mark Harper

Mr Stewart Jackson

Danny Alexander

Paul Rowen

Withdrawn  10

Clause  9,  page  4,  line  32,  after ‘on’, insert ‘section 7(1) and’.

Andrew Selous

Mr Mark Harper

Mr Stewart Jackson

Danny Alexander

Paul Rowen

Not called  11

Clause  9,  page  4,  line  32,  at end insert ‘; and, in respect of each authorisation under

section 8(1), details of the body to whom the functions of the Commission have been

delegated and their performance in contributing to the Commission’s objectives.’.

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 24th July 2007
13

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, continued

Andrew Selous

Mr Mark Harper

Mr Stewart Jackson

Negatived on division  9

Clause  9,  page  4,  line  32,  at end insert—

‘(e)
the number of children who live apart from one or both of their parents

who are eligible for child maintenance under the Child Support Act 1991;

(f)
the proportion of those children for whom child maintenance has been

paid in the previous year;

(g)
the type of arrangement—whether voluntary or under the statutory

scheme;

(h)
where child maintenance has been paid, details of the amount; the

frequency of payment; whether paid in full or in part; and whether paid

on time.’.

Danny Alexander

Paul Rowen

Not called  40

Clause  9,  page  4,  line  32,  at end insert—

‘(e)
information concerning the historic debt to be collected by the

commission, including

(i)
the total amount of historic debt;

(ii)
the numbers of individual debtors and individual amounts owed

expressed as a proportion within different bands of debt levels;

(iii)
the steps taken to recover that debt, including the budget and

staffing resources devoted to this activity; and

(iv)
the amount of debt considered uncollectable, broken down by the

reasons why.’.

Andrew Selous

Mr Mark Harper

Mr Stewart Jackson

Negatived on division  12

Clause  9,  page  4,  line  32,  at end insert—

‘(e)
information concerning the historic debt to be collected by the

Commission, including—

(i)
the total amount of historic debt;

(ii)
the numbers of individual debtors;

(iii)
the amounts of debt owed, broken down by bands;

(iv)
the steps taken to recover that debt, including the budget and

staffing resources devoted to this activity; and

(v)
the amount of debt considered uncollectable, broken down by the

reasons why.’.

Danny Alexander

Paul Rowen

Not called  69

Clause  9,  page  4,  line  32,  at end insert—

‘(e)
the extent to which the Commission has made progress regarding the

collection and payment of arrears.’.

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 24th July 2007
14

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, continued

Danny Alexander

Paul Rowen

Negatived on division  82

Clause  9,  page  4,  line  32,  at end insert—

‘(d)
details of any complaints received and how these complaints were

handled.’.

Andrew Selous

Mr Mark Harper

Mr Stewart Jackson

Not called  13

Clause  9,  page  4,  line  39,  at end insert ‘and must make a motion in the House of

Commons in relation to each such report.’.

Clause Agreed to.

Danny Alexander

Paul Rowen

Withdrawn  63

Clause  10,  page  5,  line  8,  at end insert ‘and laid before Parliament’.

Clause Agreed to.

Clauses 11 and 12 Agreed to.

Schedule 2 Agreed to.

Danny Alexander

Paul Rowen

Withdrawn  58

Schedule  3,  page  61,  line  31,  leave out paragraph 51.

Schedule Agreed to.

Clauses 13 and 14 Agreed to.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 9th October at 10.30 a.m.