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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Absent parents may lose passports | Absent parents may lose passports |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Absent parents who do not pay child support could have their passports and driving licences taken from them, without having to go to court. | Absent parents who do not pay child support could have their passports and driving licences taken from them, without having to go to court. |
| The move is being introduced as part of government plans to make sure parents pay to support their children. | The move is being introduced as part of government plans to make sure parents pay to support their children. |
| The Department for Work and Pensions said the legislation contained in the Welfare Reform Bill would be a "last resort" if others failed. | The Department for Work and Pensions said the legislation contained in the Welfare Reform Bill would be a "last resort" if others failed. |
| Latest estimates suggest absent parents owe nearly £4bn in unpaid maintenance. | Latest estimates suggest absent parents owe nearly £4bn in unpaid maintenance. |
| The old Child Support Agency could apply for a court order to confiscate the driving licences of parents who refuse to pay for their children. | The old Child Support Agency could apply for a court order to confiscate the driving licences of parents who refuse to pay for their children. |
| Last year, Parliament last year passed an act to give its replacement, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the same power in relation to passports. | Last year, Parliament last year passed an act to give its replacement, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the same power in relation to passports. |
| The new legislation will allow the CMEC to bypass the courts and confiscate absent parents' passports and driving licences until money is paid fully. | The new legislation will allow the CMEC to bypass the courts and confiscate absent parents' passports and driving licences until money is paid fully. |
| Fair rules | |
| Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said: "We are supporting parents in these tough times, but for those who choose not to support their own kids, we will not stand by and do nothing. | Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said: "We are supporting parents in these tough times, but for those who choose not to support their own kids, we will not stand by and do nothing. |
| "If a parent refuses to pay up then we will stop them travelling abroad or even using their car. | "If a parent refuses to pay up then we will stop them travelling abroad or even using their car. |
| "We want fair rules for everybody and that means giving people the support they need, but in return expecting them to live up to their responsibilities." | "We want fair rules for everybody and that means giving people the support they need, but in return expecting them to live up to their responsibilities." |
| Janet Allbeson, from the one parent family advisory group Gingerbread, told the BBC she supported the idea as a last resort. | |
| "Over half of all children in single parent households are poor. And we know because parliament has told us, that if all non-resident parents who are required to pay money each week by the Child Support Agency, if they did so it would lift an extra 100,000 children out of poverty." | |
| 'Talking tough' | 'Talking tough' |
| The government says the new plan will be tested in certain areas of the country. | The government says the new plan will be tested in certain areas of the country. |
| Similar schemes in the US and Australia have been successful in increasing payments. | |
| Other powers open to the CMEC include taking money from a bank account without going through the courts; applying for a curfew, or recovering money from a dead person's estate. | Other powers open to the CMEC include taking money from a bank account without going through the courts; applying for a curfew, or recovering money from a dead person's estate. |
| But opponents are worried that civil liberties may be breached if bureaucrats have the power to take away passports and driving licences. | But opponents are worried that civil liberties may be breached if bureaucrats have the power to take away passports and driving licences. |
| The Liberal Democrats have also criticised the plans. | The Liberal Democrats have also criticised the plans. |
| Work and pensions spokesman Steve Webb said: "This latest bill will have more talking tough, but we've heard it all before. | Work and pensions spokesman Steve Webb said: "This latest bill will have more talking tough, but we've heard it all before. |
| "What we really need is an efficient, effective system and this bill isn't going to bring it in." | "What we really need is an efficient, effective system and this bill isn't going to bring it in." |