§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his plans for ensuring that maintenance settlements are reviewed regularly and keep pace with the growing cost of bringing up children as they grow older.
§ Mr. JackThe Child Support Bill, currently before the House, provides for a new system of maintenance for children. The new system will ensure consistency of decision making by the use of a standard formula to calculate child maintenance. This formula provides a means of updating the maintenance to be paid and there will be provision for regular reviews of all maintenance assessments to take account of changes in the circumstances of the absent parent or the parent with care.