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11 Feb 2009 : Column 1976W—continued


Children: Maintenance

Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the (a) mean amount and (b) range of individual debts for which the Child Support Agency has obtained liability orders in each region of England was in each of the last three years; [250961]

(2) how many liability orders the Child Support Agency has obtained through the courts in each region of England and Wales in each of the last three years; [250964]

(3) how many liability orders were issued by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission and the Child Support Agency in each region in each of the last three years. [256241]

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system including the Child Support Agency. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Stephen Geraghty:


11 Feb 2009 : Column 1977W
Liability Orders granted in England and Wales from November 2007 to October 2008
Region Liability orders granted Mean( 1 ) (£) Minimum( 2 ) (£) Maximum( 3 ) (£)

North East

1,500

4,300

0

54,000

North West

3,300

5,000

0

67,000

Yorkshire/Humberside

2,400

5,000

0

66,000

East Midlands

1,800

5,300

100

66,000

West Midlands

2,600

5,700

0

74,000

Eastern

2,000

6,100

100

80,000

London

2,000

7,100

0

69,000

South East

2,800

6,000

0

72,000

South West

1,900

5,400

0

68,000

Wales

1,300

4,800

100

65,000

(1) Mean figures are rounded to the nearest £100
(2) Minimum figures are rounded to the nearest £100
(3) Maximum figures are rounded to the nearest £1000
Notes:
1. Liability Orders granted have been allocated to Government Office regions based on the residential postcode of the non-resident parent at the time of the court hearing
2. A small number of cases exist where the postcode is not recorded on the management information. As such, these can not be allocated to a region
3. Liability Orders granted are rounded to the nearest 100

Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) on how many occasions the Child Support Agency has taken action to enforce a liability order in each region of England in each of the last three years; [250963]

(2) what steps have been taken to enforce liability orders issued by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission and the Child Support Agency in each region in each of the last three years. [256240]

Kitty Ussher [pursuant to the reply, 5 February 2009, Official Report, c. 1419W]: The reply to PQ 250962 was correct but incomplete. I would like to add that up
11 Feb 2009 : Column 1978W
to 1 November 2008, neither the Department nor its Agencies apart from the Child Support Agency used liability orders to recover debt.

The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission took responsibility for the Child Support Agency from 1 November 2008. The Commission will therefore continue to apply to the Courts for liability orders in respect of Child Maintenance Debt. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the available information on liability orders relating to child maintenance debt as requested.

Letter from Stephen Geraghty:


11 Feb 2009 : Column 1979W
Actions taken to enforce liability orders in England: November 2007 to October 2008
Region Number of actions to enforce liability orders

North East

1,600

North West

3,700

Yorkshire/Humberside

2,700

East Midlands

2,100

West Midlands

3,000

Eastern

2,200

London

1,900

South East

3,500

South West

2,400

Notes:
1. Actions include cases referred to bailiffs, where a County Court Judgment Order has been imposed, a Third Party Debt Order or Charging Order application made, or a referral for committal or disqualification of driving licence applied for or Orders for Sale applied for.
2. A small number of actions exist where the postcode is not recorded on the management information. As such, these cannot be allocated to a region.
3. Figures rounded to the nearest 100.

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many representations received by the Child Support Agency were not opened as cases owing to the residence of the non-resident parent being outside the UK in each year since 1999; [254141]

(2) how many cases involving child maintenance payments were not pursued by the Child Support Agency owing to the departure from the UK of the non-resident parent in each year since 1999. [254142]

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 11 February 2009:


11 Feb 2009 : Column 1980W
As at December each year : Non-resident parent abroad No maintenance received

2004

9,800

3,400

2005

7,800

2,500

2006

6,700

2,200

2007

6,200

2,100

2008

6,900

2,300


Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to enforce payments under child maintenance agreements by non-resident parents living outside the United Kingdom. [254143]

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Stephen Geraghty:


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