To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what evidence he has that under the current system levels of maintenance awards vary significantly around the United Kingdom.

A special assessment survey conducted last year, some of whose findings are shown in tables 13 and 16 of volume 2 of the White Paper "Children Come First", showed clear variations, for example, between different kinds of court. Analysis of DSS statistics also shows considerable regional variation in the amount paid under court orders, ranging from an average of just over £13 a week in north-west England to over £20 a week in Scotland.

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Does he agree that the present system is slow, inconsistent and variable? Is he aware that only about one third of mothers living alone with their children receive any regular payments and that those payments are often considerably less than the fathers could afford? Does my right hon. Friend therefore agree that something must be done?

Yes. Clearly the present system is unsatisfactory. There is wide variation and, as my hon. Friend said, the system can be slow and sometimes difficult to use. We have set out our proposals for reform, which in general have been widely welcomed. Obviously our proposals contain many points, on which people have commented.