Child Support Agency

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 2:59 pm on 24 January 2006.

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Photo of Lord Hunt of Kings Heath Lord Hunt of Kings Heath Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions) 2:59, 24 January 2006

My Lords, I have looked at some of the debates, but I am happy to look at them again. There is no question that it was a huge undertaking, but it is worth pointing out that the situation before the Child Support Agency was not entirely a happy one. I quote from the White Paper, Children Come First, produced by the previous government, which, commenting on the then court-based system, stated:

"The present system of maintenance is unnecessarily fragmented, uncertain in its results, slow and ineffective".

For all the problems that the Child Support Agency faces, none the less it is producing £600 million a year. We should not underestimate that.