§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to remove from the Child Support Agency the powers to overturn clean break divorce settlements which have been established by courts or agreements; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BurtClean break settlements concern the financial affairs of former partners. There can be no clean break between parents and their children, and calculation of maintenance by the agency is based on the current needs of children, and the current income and outgoings of their parents. The formula which the agency uses to assess maintenance does take account of the practical consequences of such settlements, since the current housing costs of absent parents are allowed for in calculating their maintenance liability, and capital settlements may affect the assessable income both of absent parents and of parents with care. Where the practical outcome is that an absent parent has higher costs or lower income, his maintenance liability will consequently be less.
The operation of the Child Support Agency is being kept under review.