Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 2:59 pm on 24 January 2006.
My Lords, my noble friend has emphasised—rightly, I am sure—that the core of the problem of the CSA is that too many non-resident parents think that, when they break up with their partner, they simultaneously no longer need financially to support their children. That is disastrous for everyone concerned. The Inland Revenue may become a collection agency and collect money from defaulting families, which may be a good idea. So often, at the same time, it may pay tax credits to those defaulting families. Can we hope that at last the Inland Revenue might be willing to net the one sum against the other and thus ensure that money goes to the lone parent and her child?