HC Deb 20 February 1996 vol 272 c125W
28. Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women currently receive less in child support than their husband or partners pay to the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement. [14379]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

Payments of child maintenance made by absent parents to the Child Support Agency are passed on to parents with care unless retained to be offset against current or past payments of income support to the parent with care. Information on the total number of cases where payments are retained could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Michael Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what provision is made to ensure that absent parents who have incurred a deduction from earnings order from the Child Support Agency are left with sufficient income on which to live. [14914]

Mr. Mitchell

The deduction from earnings order sent to an employer, in cases where there is either a full or an interim maintenance assessment, includes an amount below which earnings should not be reduced because of the child support payment.