Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's criteria is for registering the child maintenance debt of a non-resident parent with credit rating agencies.

This information is provided in our internal procedures. It is a discretionary decision and intended as a deterrent measure on those who may otherwise choose to evade maintenance payments, so getting more money flowing to the children and separated parents who need it.

We can consider referral to a Credit Reference Agency (CRA) in the following circumstance:

• when a Liability Order is in force against the non-resident
• 21 days (plus postage timing and 2 days) have passed since a written notice was posted to the Paying Parent advising them that we intend to supply information about them to a CRA
• the welfare of the child has been considered
• the Paying Parent has not agreed to a payment agreement where the outstanding amount will be repaid in line with our debt steer, of 2 years