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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| Website to 'shame' absent parents | Website to 'shame' absent parents |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Ministers are planning to publish on the internet the names of absent parents who refuse to pay maintenance for their children. | Ministers are planning to publish on the internet the names of absent parents who refuse to pay maintenance for their children. |
| Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton said he aimed to "come down like a ton of bricks" on absent parents. | Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton said he aimed to "come down like a ton of bricks" on absent parents. |
| New enforcement powers to be outlined in a White Paper this week include the removal of passports, curfews and electronic tagging. | New enforcement powers to be outlined in a White Paper this week include the removal of passports, curfews and electronic tagging. |
| Opposition parties said the plans were a "knee jerk reaction" and "gimmick". | |
| The White Paper will include details of the smaller body which is to replace the troubled Child Support Agency (CSA), which has been dogged by problems and is owed £3.5bn. | The White Paper will include details of the smaller body which is to replace the troubled Child Support Agency (CSA), which has been dogged by problems and is owed £3.5bn. |
| Streamlined system | Streamlined system |
| Mr Hutton said the reforms would make the system simpler and more streamlined so the new agency "can get right in there quickly, end the delays, get the money into the families that need it most and make a contribution to supporting family life and tackling child poverty." | Mr Hutton said the reforms would make the system simpler and more streamlined so the new agency "can get right in there quickly, end the delays, get the money into the families that need it most and make a contribution to supporting family life and tackling child poverty." |
| Some critics say the new measures could cause hostility between partners at a difficult time in their relationship. | Some critics say the new measures could cause hostility between partners at a difficult time in their relationship. |
| But Mr Hutton told Andrew Marr on Sunday AM that life should be made "as uncomfortable as possible" for parents neglecting their responsibilities. | But Mr Hutton told Andrew Marr on Sunday AM that life should be made "as uncomfortable as possible" for parents neglecting their responsibilities. |
| "When they don't pay, we have to pay, and that is not a proper thing to happen," he said. | "When they don't pay, we have to pay, and that is not a proper thing to happen," he said. |
| Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith described the plans as a "knee jerk reaction" and said the CSA has shown its value. | |
| "Incompetent and failing as it is, it has had a marginal impact on fathers staying up with their responsibilities," he said. | |
| Liberal Democrat spokesman on work and pensions David Laws said the plans were "yet more daft 'government by gimmick' on the CSA". | |
| "Listing people's names on a website is likely to be totally ineffective and could be seen by some people more as a badge of pride than a badge of shame." | "Listing people's names on a website is likely to be totally ineffective and could be seen by some people more as a badge of pride than a badge of shame." |
| He said the CSA's existing powers to take away driving licences had been little used and were of little effect. | He said the CSA's existing powers to take away driving licences had been little used and were of little effect. |
| Only wholesale reform and aggressive enforcement would make any difference, he said. | Only wholesale reform and aggressive enforcement would make any difference, he said. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY If this were to be implemented I suspect, like ASBOs, they will be worn as a badge of honour Andrew, Devon Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY If this were to be implemented I suspect, like ASBOs, they will be worn as a badge of honour Andrew, Devon Send us your comments |
| Labour MP, Frank Field, former minister for welfare reform, said he supported the plans but measures would need to be in place to ensure the information posted on the internet was accurate. | Labour MP, Frank Field, former minister for welfare reform, said he supported the plans but measures would need to be in place to ensure the information posted on the internet was accurate. |
| He said no debts should be written off when a new system is brought in. | He said no debts should be written off when a new system is brought in. |
| Nick Woodall of the Centre for Separated Families, a support group for families going through separation, said the government "unwittingly contributed" to conflict between parents. | Nick Woodall of the Centre for Separated Families, a support group for families going through separation, said the government "unwittingly contributed" to conflict between parents. |
| He told BBC Radio Five Live: "It seems like it's just another attempt by the government to sound tough on parents, when really what it should be doing is creating services to help them." | He told BBC Radio Five Live: "It seems like it's just another attempt by the government to sound tough on parents, when really what it should be doing is creating services to help them." |
| CSA COSTS Set up in 1993 to ensure parents who do not live with their children pay for their upkeepSpends 70p to collect every £1 of child support£3.5bn in payments not collected since 1993Reforms begun in 2003 cost £539m but scheme worked no better than predecessorThird of non-resident parents pay nothing despite their maintenance being assessed Source: National Audit Office, published June 2006 | CSA COSTS Set up in 1993 to ensure parents who do not live with their children pay for their upkeepSpends 70p to collect every £1 of child support£3.5bn in payments not collected since 1993Reforms begun in 2003 cost £539m but scheme worked no better than predecessorThird of non-resident parents pay nothing despite their maintenance being assessed Source: National Audit Office, published June 2006 |
| But Janet Allbeson from the charity One Parent Families said lone parents were desperate for the government to "put some welly" into the collection of unpaid maintenance. | But Janet Allbeson from the charity One Parent Families said lone parents were desperate for the government to "put some welly" into the collection of unpaid maintenance. |
| "We talk to lone parents all the time and they are desperate for the (Child Support Agency) to really take strong action against non-resident parents, to make sure they pay. | "We talk to lone parents all the time and they are desperate for the (Child Support Agency) to really take strong action against non-resident parents, to make sure they pay. |
| "And they're incredibly angry that people who don't pay child support, really, they've been treated a bit too lightly." | "And they're incredibly angry that people who don't pay child support, really, they've been treated a bit too lightly." |
| On Saturday it emerged that the CSA had been increasingly using private companies to collect unpaid money, which had so far enabled it to recover about £320,000 which it would not otherwise have recovered. | On Saturday it emerged that the CSA had been increasingly using private companies to collect unpaid money, which had so far enabled it to recover about £320,000 which it would not otherwise have recovered. |
| However, some campaigners fear that more than £1bn owed to parents will be written off when the agency is replaced. | However, some campaigners fear that more than £1bn owed to parents will be written off when the agency is replaced. |