§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they intend to combine the principles of the consultation document Parental Separation: Children's Needs and Parents' Responsibilities with the principles of the Child Support Acts 1991 and 1995 that one parent is always with care, and the other parent is always absent. [HL4007]
§ Baroness Hollis of HeighamThe Green Paper was published on 21 July. The closing date for comments is 1 November. The Government will decide the right way forward only once the consultation period is over.
The legislation governing child support is based on sound principles—every child has the right to the best possible start in life and parents have a clear responsibility to protect and provide for their children so that the children can make the most of their lives.
The amount of child support that a non-resident parent is required to pay can be reduced if the child stays with him on a regular basis. The amount of the reduction depends on the extent to which the care of the child is shared by the parents.
There is no tension between the proposals in the Green Paper and the principles that underpin child support.