Schedule 6
Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill
Public Bill Committees, 16 October 2007, 11:00 am
James Plaskitt (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions; Warwick & Leamington, Labour)
That is exactly the issue that must be investigated. We want to achieve the supply, from court proceedings to the commission, of information that will help in getting a maintenance assessment done and in getting maintenance flowing. Devising a rule as has been suggested may do that, but everyone needs to look into what the practical implications of that approach would be. It sounds neat, but it might also exclude certain documents, which, nevertheless, could help to serve the purpose of the commission as to maintenance.
That is why we want the court committees to consider the matter. That will get us the best advice on how to proceed. There is no objection in principle to what the amendment is intended to do; we support that intention. It is a question of finding the right method. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will withdraw the amendment and leave it with us to figure out the best way to proceed.