New Child Support Agency needs to get tough

5.25.49pm GMT Mon 5th Feb 2007

Tony Blair admitted over a year ago that the CSA was "not properly suited" to its job

Jo Swinson has called on the Government to get tough on child maintenance cheats.

Speaking in the House of Commons today, Jo asked Secretary of State for Work and Pensions John Hutton:

"Does the Minister accept that the high levels of outstanding CSA debt are often due to the ridiculously long repayment terms, as in the case of one of my constituents who is owed £9,000 and has been told her husband can repay this over 39 years?

"Will the CSA replacement body get tough on the maintenance cheats and enforce repayments over much shorter timescales to ensure the money gets to the children while they are still children?"

Commenting after the debate, Jo said:

"When the Child Support Agency is giving an irresponsible father in East Dunbartonshire nearly 40 years to repay £9,000 of child support payments, while the case has been passed between over 40 caseworkers in 4 years, things are clearly going badly wrong.

"Ministers have promised to reform the beleaguered CSA, and minds need to be focused within Government on delivering a vastly improved service to parents and children.

"The CSA's replacement must get tougher on those parents who shirk their financial responsibility."

Related Link:

Liberal Democrats - pensions & benefits