Unpaid child maintenance targeted

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Absent parents who refuse to pay maintenance are being targeted in a new campaign by the Child Support Agency.

In the Glasgow area alone, mothers and fathers owe more than £37.5m in unpaid child support.

Lord McKenzie, the child maintenance minister, warned parents they would be tracked down by an enforcement team.

There are some 12,800 parents in the Glasgow area who do not pay maintenance for their children. Last year 176 cases were taken to court.

Lord McKenzie said: "Today's campaign launch sends a strong and simple message to those parents who refuse to pay child maintenance - your time is running out. Act now or we will."

'Irresponsible parents'

He added: "In Glasgow and surrounding areas, irresponsible parents owe an average of £2,930 each in outstanding maintenance - money that their children deserve and have a right to.

"Our enforcement team is more determined than ever to use its powers to track down these parents and force them to support their children."

He said that every day in the UK, the Child Support Agency passes 36 cases to the courts and 200 more begin to have money deducted directly from pay packets.

The campaign, which runs until the end of October, aims to increase awareness of the Child Support Agency's powers with a series of radio, billboard and newspaper adverts.

This latest initiative was launched in Newcastle and Sheffield, before being extended to other areas, including Glasgow.