§ Q12. Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the existing co-ordination between the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Attorney-General and the Secretary of State for Social Services on the payment of alimony, granted to women by court order, pending the outcome of the current review.
§ The Prime MinisterYes. The Departments concerned have recently reviewed the machinery for the payment and enforcement of maintenance and as a result certain improvements have been made: in particular my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has asked justices' clerks in England and Wales to make it the practice to pay maintenance through the post, and the records of certain Government Departments have been made more freely available to courts for tracing maintenance defaulters.