HC Deb 18 April 1995 vol 258 c15W
Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will instruct the Child Support Agency (Northern Ireland) to advise all clients in writing that at least four working days should be allowed to ensure that payments arrive with the agency on the due date and that deduction from earnings orders should be withdrawn by the agency when the agency has failed to give proper instruction without requiring appeal through the magistrates courts.

Mr. Moss

When absent parents maintenance accounts are set up, they are advised of the amount payable, the due date and the method of payment. Where payments are to be made by paying-in slip through a bank or post office, clients are advised in writing that at least four working days should be allowed for payments to reach the agency.

The circumstances in which a deduction from earnings order may be discharged are contained in the recently amended regulation 20 of the Child Support (Collection and Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992 and there is no provision for a deduction from earnings order to be discharged in the circumstances described.