§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the numbers of parents with care who will incur the 78-week benefit penalty under the Child Support Act 1991.
§ Mr. BurtIt is not possible to estimate this number within acceptable levels of accuracy. However, it is172W anticipated that in all but a tiny minority of cases of parents with care on benefit will either voluntarily co-operate with the Child Support Agency or will not be required to co-operate because there would be a risk of harm or undue distress to her or her children, were she to do so.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the numbers of families divided into lone parents and couples, who will be lifted off income support as a result of receiving child support maintenance under the Child Support Act 1991 in the first year of implementation and the following three years.
§ Mr. BurtI refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Mr. Knox) on Thursday, 26 November at column803.