New Clause 7
Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill
4:15 pm
James Plaskitt (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions; Warwick and Leamington, Labour)
I appreciate the hon. Member for Rochdale tabling the new clause and discussing it in the way in which he did. He is right to point out that we all have a concern in seeing how the new system unfolds and ensuring that it meets the objectives that we have set for it. I remind him that the commission is required to produce an annual report of all its activities, which will always be an opportunity for hon. Members and Parliament to review its progress. It is open to the Select Committee to inquire at any time into how the new arrangements are going, but that is a matter for the Committee, not me. However, I am certain that I want to follow progress.
The hon. Gentleman is also right that the changes are big changes, especially those to the voluntary arrangements, which is another reason why it is important to take time over the transition. We need to spread knowledge about the changes and make sure that all the other organisations and bodies that are engaged with people going through the separation process become aware of the support services, which will be very important, and the move towards the far higher disregards, which will completely change the incentive for parents with care to seek arrangements under the new system.
I assure the hon. Gentleman and others in Committee that we are fully committed to ensuring that a full and comprehensive research programme is conducted to consider all the issues that he has raised, and others. Indeed, research has already told us a significant amount about all those areas, and it has helped us with the decisions that we have been making about the design and implementation of the information and support service.
As I have said, it is important not to rush research, and I am sceptical about the value of linking research programmes to legislation in the direct way set out in the new clause. I reassure the hon. Gentleman that we are committed to publishing the findings of our research as soon as they are available. In the area covered by his new clause, for example, we have published independent research on the attitudes of parents towards the reforms, and we have conducted a telephone survey of a significant proportion of the current agency case load, asking about the choices that people are likely to make once they can transfer to the new arrangements.
The latter research showed that a significant proportion of CSA new scheme parents with care on benefits—almost two in five—would be likely to consider going for a voluntary arrangement, supported by the services that we plan to introduce. Unsurprisingly, the research also highlighted that there are advantages and disadvantages to voluntary arrangements and that they are not suitable for everyone. Where a voluntary arrangement is not preferred by parents, they will, of course, be supported by the statutory maintenance service.
The relationship and separation survey is also due to be published early next year. It will build on the evidence provided by the telephone survey through face-to-face interviews with around 2,500 parents who have voluntary arrangements or arrangements through the CSA or the courts. I hope that I can reassure the hon. Gentleman that we will continue to conduct and publish research to ensure that the new maintenance system is as effective as possible, and to evaluate its success. There will be abundant opportunities for Parliament to monitor and assess performance through various processes as we move into the new arrangements. I hope that that is sufficient to reassure the hon. Gentleman and that he will withdraw the motion.