§ 23. Mr. ButlerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress he has made in setting up the Child Support Agency.
§ Mr. BurtI am pleased to report that excellent progress has been made. The Child Support Agency will begin operations on 5 April as planned. Operating within the framework of the Child Support Act, the agency will provide a clear focus for the assessment, collection, and enforcement of maintenance payment, and ensure that many more parents meet their responsibility to maintain their children.
§ 25. Mr. BrazierTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what long-term savings he expects as a result of the operation of the Child Support Agency.
§ Mr. BurtWe expect that, in the long term, absent parents will contribute around £600 million to the maintenance of their children, a cost currently borne by tax payers.