Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Collect and Pay charges on the financial stability of paying parents; whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing income and expenditure assessments before enforcement action is taken through Collect and Pay; and whether he plans to review the Child Maintenance Service enforcement regime and charging structure.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) operates on the principle that both parents have a financial responsibility towards their children. The Department keeps the operation of the CMS under review, including its charging arrangements and enforcement processes.

Collection fees were introduced to encourage compliance and contribute towards the cost of operating the service. The Government has consulted on reforms that would remove Direct Pay and introduce a revised charging structure, including lower fees (2%) for compliant parents while retaining higher charges (20%) for non-compliance. Alongside these reforms, we are improving support for Family-Based Arrangements so that parents for whom a private arrangement works well can manage maintenance outside the statutory scheme, helping to ensure that fees are only paid by those families who need the CMS's ongoing support

The CMS has a broad range of enforcement powers, including deductions from earnings and bank accounts, the use of enforcement agents, charging orders, passport and driving licence disqualification, and commitment to prison. In the year ending March 2026, the CMS collected £231 million through enforcement action, the highest amount collected through its enforcement powers.

Where a parent fails to pay, the CMS will take action to re-establish compliance and recover arrears, using the enforcement power most likely to secure money for children. The Government is also introducing Administrative Liability Orders, which will streamline the enforcement process and enable faster action against non-compliant parents.

The Child Maintenance Service takes account of a paying parent's financial position when setting arrears repayment arrangements. Whilst the aim must be to get on-going maintenance payments flowing and to recover arrears as quickly and reliably as possible, consideration is given to individual financial circumstances to ensure repayment rates are appropriate.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service's use of its enforcement powers in recovering unpaid child maintenance; and what steps he is taking to ensure that parents with substantial arrears cannot avoid payment for prolonged periods without meaningful enforcement action.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) operates on the principle that both parents have a financial responsibility towards their children. The Department keeps the operation of the CMS under review, including its charging arrangements and enforcement processes.

Collection fees were introduced to encourage compliance and contribute towards the cost of operating the service. The Government has consulted on reforms that would remove Direct Pay and introduce a revised charging structure, including lower fees (2%) for compliant parents while retaining higher charges (20%) for non-compliance. Alongside these reforms, we are improving support for Family-Based Arrangements so that parents for whom a private arrangement works well can manage maintenance outside the statutory scheme, helping to ensure that fees are only paid by those families who need the CMS's ongoing support

The CMS has a broad range of enforcement powers, including deductions from earnings and bank accounts, the use of enforcement agents, charging orders, passport and driving licence disqualification, and commitment to prison. In the year ending March 2026, the CMS collected £231 million through enforcement action, the highest amount collected through its enforcement powers.

Where a parent fails to pay, the CMS will take action to re-establish compliance and recover arrears, using the enforcement power most likely to secure money for children. The Government is also introducing Administrative Liability Orders, which will streamline the enforcement process and enable faster action against non-compliant parents.

The Child Maintenance Service takes account of a paying parent's financial position when setting arrears repayment arrangements. Whilst the aim must be to get on-going maintenance payments flowing and to recover arrears as quickly and reliably as possible, consideration is given to individual financial circumstances to ensure repayment rates are appropriate.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her department has made on the availability of NHS Funding for the breast cancer drug Enhertu in England and Wales, in the context of treatment available to Scottish patients.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Members to the answer provided on 17 July to Question 17825.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the future of the Army Careers Centre in Taunton, including any plans to close that office or transfer its recruitment functions to another contractor.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Army Careers Centre in Taunton will not be retained under the future Armed Forces Recruitment Service.

Recruitment activity currently supported through Taunton will transition into the Armed Forces Recruitment Service, delivered by Serco through a regional model. In the South West, Plymouth will be the enduring regional hub.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the difference between the Universal Infant Free School Meals funding rate and the average cost of meal provision charged by catering providers; and whether she intends to increase the funding rate to reflect rising food and operational costs.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The cost of providing a school meal varies between schools and catering providers, reflecting differences in local circumstances, operating models, procurement arrangements and contractual terms.

Universal infant free school meals are funded through a separate grant at a rate of £505 per eligible pupil, which assumes that each pupil takes 190 meals over an academic year. The government is committed to ensuring that eligible pupils receive a nutritious meal during the school day and that schools retain flexibility to determine the catering arrangements that best meet their needs. Schools can access procurement support through the Get Help Buying for Schools service.

The department is working across government to address rising costs. We continue to engage with the sector to understand costs to caterers and schools and to support delivery of school food. As with all programmes, funding arrangements are kept under review as part of wider spending decisions.

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