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3

 

House of Commons

 
 

Thursday 19th July 2007

 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings

 

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill


 

[Third and Fourth Sittings]


 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Withdrawn  70

 

Clause  1,  page  1,  line  4,  leave out ‘a body corporate’ and insert ‘an Executive

 

Agency of the Department for Work and Pensions’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 


 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Withdrawn  71

 

Schedule  1,  page  44,  line  12,  at end insert—

 

‘(2)    

The person appointed to chair the Commission, and the chief executive and non-

 

executive directors of the Commission, must have—

 

(a)    

relevant experience of leading, or senior management in, a large public

 

or private sector organisation, and preferably,

 

(b)    

a demonstrated knowledge of family policy law.’.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Negatived on division  60

 

Schedule  1,  page  44,  line  15,  at end insert ‘and approved by Parliament’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Not called  96

 

Schedule  1,  page  46,  line  21,  leave out paragraphs 9 and 10.


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 19th July 2007          

4

 

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, continued

 
 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Withdrawn  66

 

Schedule  1,  page  46,  line  36,  at end insert—

 

‘(3)    

The Commission is to be responsible for ensuring that appropriate staffing levels

 

are maintained in order for it to fulfil its functions as determined in section 2 of

 

this Act.’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Not called  97

 

Schedule  1,  page  48,  line  2,  leave out paragraph 17.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Withdrawn  59

 

Schedule  1,  page  48,  line  28,  at end insert—

 

‘(c)    

examine the perfomance of the Commission in relation to historic

 

debt.’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Not called  98

 

Schedule  1,  page  49,  line  29,  leave out paragraph 22.

 

Schedule Agreed to.

 


 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Withdrawn  24

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  8,  leave out ‘objective is’ and insert ‘objectives are’.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Not called  25

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  10,  at end insert ‘and to secure the payment of any arrears of

 

child support maintenance including sums owed pursuant to the Child Support Act 1991

 

prior to the establishment of the Commission.’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Negatived on division  72

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  10,  at end insert ‘, and to support these parents’ joint

 

responsibility to ensure financial support and, whenever possible, emotional support,

 

having regard to the welfare of the children affected by these arrangements.’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 19th July 2007          

5

 

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, continued

 
 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Not called  56

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  11,  leave out ‘objective is’ and insert ‘objectives are’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Not called  78

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  14,  leave out ‘appropriate’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Not called  2

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  16,  leave out ‘and’ and insert ‘;’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Not called  3

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  17,  at end insert ‘and to secure payment of arrears owed

 

pursuant to that Act’.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Not called  27

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  17,  at end insert ‘; and to collect debts owed pursuant to that

 

Act’.

 

Mr Mike Weir

 

Withdrawn  87

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  17,  at end insert—

 

‘(c)    

to advise on existing systems of creating, registering and enforcing

 

voluntary arrangements including, in Scotland, the ability to register such

 

agreements in the Books of Council and Session.’.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Not called  85

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  17,  at end insert—

 

‘(2A)    

In the application of the subsidiary objectives set out in subsection (2) above, the

 

Commission must have regard to the choices expressed by the parent with care

 

and the non-resident parent.’.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Negatived on division  29

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  19,  at end add—

 

‘(4)    

In pursuing and having regard to its objectives, and in the exercise of its

 

functions, the Commission shall have regard to the welfare of any children likely

 

to be affected.’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 19th July 2007          

6

 

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, continued

 
 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Withdrawn  73

 

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  19,  at end insert—

 

‘(4)    

In relation to the Commission’s subsidiary objective in subsection (2)(a), the

 

Commission shall have the power to use its enforcement powers in respect of

 

appropriate voluntary maintenance agreements.’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 


 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Withdrawn  80

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  11,  after ‘efficiently’, insert ‘and the Secretary of State may

 

by regulation provide for the Commission to be liable to pay compensation where—

 

(a)    

maladministration by the Commission is accepted, or

 

(b)    

the Commission has exercised its power to write off arrears in accordance

 

with section 41E of the Child Support Act 1991, as inserted by section 31

 

of this Act.’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Withdrawn  4

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  11,  at end add—

 

‘(4)    

The Commission must publish accurate and timely management information data

 

in order to facilitate scrutiny of its performance.’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 


 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Withdrawn  30

 

Clause  4,  page  2,  line  15,  leave out ‘taking responsibility for’.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Not called  31

 

Clause  4,  page  2,  line  17,  at end add ‘, whether by voluntary arrangements or by

 

use of the statutory scheme’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Withdrawn  74

 

Clause  4,  page  2,  line  17,  at end insert—


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 19th July 2007          

7

 

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, continued

 
 

‘(c)    

promote a culture of responsible parenting in which material and

 

emotional support are given throughout childhood.’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 


 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Withdrawn  75

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  19,  leave out ‘provide to parents’ and insert ‘ensure that

 

parents are provided with’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Withdrawn  8

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  20,  leave out ‘purpose’ and insert ‘purposes’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Not called  6

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  20,  after ‘existence’, insert ‘and renewal’.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Not called  33

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  20,  after ‘existence’, insert ‘and continuation’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Not called  7

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  22,  at end insert ‘and of securing the collection of any arrears

 

of maintenance which are due’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Not called  77

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  22,  at end insert ‘, and for the purpose of supporting both

 

parents with care and non-resident parents in providing emotional support to their

 

children.’.

 

Mr Mike Weir

 

Not called  88

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  22,  at end insert ‘, and such information shall include


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 19th July 2007          

8

 

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, continued

 
 

information on existing systems of creating, registering and enforcing voluntary

 

agreements including, in Scotland, the ability to register such agreements in the Books of

 

Council and Session.’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Negatived on division  5

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  22,  at end insert—

 

‘(1A)    

Information and guidance provided under subsection (1) must include—

 

(a)    

provisional maintenance assessments, consisting of an estimate of the

 

maintenance liable if an application were made to the statutory scheme,

 

to enable parents to establish voluntary maintenance arrangements;

 

(b)    

template maintenance agreements, consisting of a pro forma

 

maintenance agreement, to enable establishment of voluntary

 

maintenance arrangements.’.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Not called  37

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  22,  at end insert—

 

‘(1A)    

The Commission must, within one year of the coming into force of this section,

 

publish a report on how it will provide specialised advice and guidance to parents

 

in the following areas—

 

(a)    

separation and divorce,

 

(b)    

child care,

 

(c)    

child maintenance arrangements,

 

(d)    

the role of the Commission,

 

(e)    

personal finance, and

 

(f)    

housing,

 

    

both through telephone services and face-to-face services.’.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Not called  67

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  22,  at end insert—

 

‘(1A)    

The Commission must, within one year of the coming into force of this section,

 

publish a strategy for providing information and guidance to parents, including—

 

(a)    

how many and what new bodies will be set up or funded by the

 

Commission to provide information and guidance;

 

(b)    

which bodies will provide telephone services and which will provide

 

face-to-face services;

 

(c)    

the budget for the marketing and promotion of information and guidance

 

sources, broken down by destination;

 

(d)    

which bodies or programmes will be co-funded with other Government

 

departments and on what basis;

 

(e)    

specific strategies for disseminating information and guidance to

 

parents—

 

(i)    

claiming jobseeker’s allowance and income support,

 

(ii)    

in employment on means tested benefits,

 

(iii)    

not eligible for means tested benefits, and


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 19th July 2007          

9

 

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, continued

 
 

(iv)    

low level users of statutory maintenance services, targeted by

 

gender and ethnicity;

 

(f)    

specific strategies for disseminating information and guidance in

 

accessible formats to parents with disabilities in compliance with the

 

Disability Discrimination Act 1995, and the Commission’s Disability

 

Equality Scheme.’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Not called  76

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  23,  leave out ‘may provide information’ and insert ‘may

 

ensure that information is provided’.

 

Andrew Selous

 

Mr Mark Harper

 

Mr Stewart Jackson

 

Negatived on division  17

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  24,  at end add—

 

‘(3)    

The Secretary of State may by regulations make arrangements to allow

 

information and guidance under subsection (1) to be provided in conjunction with

 

other services delivered by any relevant authority to parents and children who are

 

experiencing or who have experienced family breakdown.

 

(4)    

In this section “relevant authority” means—

 

(a)    

any Minister of the Crown or department of the Government of the

 

United Kingdom;

 

(b)    

a public body specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State for

 

the purposes of this section.

 

(5)    

Any regulations made under subsection (3) may be made so as to have effect for

 

a specified period not exceeding 24 months.

 

(6)    

A pilot scheme may provide that its provisions are to apply only in relation to—

 

(a)    

one or more specified areas or localities;

 

(b)    

one or more specified classes of person;

 

(c)    

persons selected by reference to prescribed criteria, or on a sampling

 

basis.

 

(7)    

A pilot scheme may make consequential or transitional provision with respect to

 

the cessation of the scheme on the expiry of the specified period.

 

(8)    

A pilot scheme may be replaced by a further pilot scheme making the same or

 

similar provision.’.

 

Danny Alexander

 

Paul Rowen

 

Not called  35

 

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  24,  at end add—

 

‘(3)    

The Secretary of State may by regulations make arrangements to allow

 

information and guidance under subsection (1) to be provided in conjunction with

 

other services delivered by any relevant authority to parents and children who are

 

experiencing or who have experienced family breakdown.

 

(4)    

In this section “relevant authority” means—

 

(a)    

any Minister of the Crown or department of the Government of the

 

United Kingdom;


 
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