Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many referrals of child maintenance debtors to credit reference agencies have been made since the power to do so was introduced in March 2015.

The Department is committed to the policy of referring those defaulting on their child maintenance payments to credit reference agencies.

We are currently working with the credit reference agencies to develop a secure process to ensure safe and accurate data sharing.

As at 17 June 2016 there are a total of 686 cases prepared and ready to share with credit reference agencies; we will disclose this information with credit reference agencies once an appropriate process is in place.

In interim we continue to issue warning letters to prompt action by non-resident parents to settle their arrears, and will where appropriate consider other enforcement actions on these cases.