§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of those paying child maintenance in Northern Ireland have yet to be incorporated into the new system for calculating child maintenance introduced in April 2002; what steps he is taking to reduce this figure; and if he will make a statement. [130402]
§ Mr. SpellarThe Government sought to reform the child support system to provide prompt, accurate maintenance calculations and quick, reliable maintenance payments. The introduction of the new scheme was delayed from April 2002, to allow further testing of the new IT system, and was introduced on 3 March 2003.
It was always intended that the new scheme would be introduced initially for new cases only. Existing child support cases would transfer at a later date, when Ministers were satisfied that the new scheme, supported by the new IT, was working well. The exception to this is where an existing case is linked to a new application. In such circumstances the existing case is reassessed under the new scheme.
A decision on the date when the remainder of existing child support cases will transfer to the new scheme has not yet been made.