§ Mr. Andrew MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of the likely number of defaulters on grounds of principle; and what steps he is taking to address the issue. [44438]
§ Malcolm WicksNo such assessment has been made. We do not accept that any non-resident parent who can afford to support their children has the right to deny children such support.
Despite continued improvement in the rate of compliance over the last few years, at the moment, only around half of non-resident parents pay all the maintenance due or the support of their children. The aim of the Government's reforms is to see a marked increase in those numbers. The new scheme will be rigorously enforced; the simplicity of the new rules will enable the Agency to devote substantially more resources to enforcement. In the meantime, pending the start of the new scheme, I continue to look to the Agency to secure the best possible rate of compliance achievable under the current scheme.
It is important to remember the effect of regular payments of child maintenance. It can transform the lives of lone mothers and their children; where the families are dependent on income support, providing a stable income can help lone parents into work.