Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the Child Maintenance Group has not used its powers to require a non-resident parent in arrears to make penalty payments to the Secretary of State; and if he will make a statement.

The power to impose penalty payments under the Child Support Agency scheme has been superseded by the new fee structure that the Child Maintenance Service now operates as an incentive for non-resident parents to comply.

The Service charges a 20 per cent collection fee to non-resident parents who use Collect & Pay, because they are unlikely to keep up with regular maintenance payments through the Direct Pay service or a private family arrangement.

Where arrears accrue and enforcement action is required the Service will add charges of £50 to £300 to the maintenance debt, depending on the type of action being taken.