Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Child Maintenance Payments: Non-compliance

Monday 27 April 2026 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government plans to reform the Child Maintenance Service to combat hidden non-compliance
  • Millions of pounds of child maintenance go unspent annually due to non-compliance
  • Current serious enforcement powers include disqualification from driving and prison commitment

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kieran Mullan Con Bexhill and Battle
Justice & Courts Employment Children & Families
Context

Millions of pounds of child maintenance go unspent annually, due to hidden non-compliance and parents pretending they cannot work.

Question

Whether he plans to introduce curfew orders for parents who are non-compliant with child maintenance payments. Every year, millions of pounds of child maintenance go unspent, not including deductions for money hidden away and parents who pretend they cannot work. Enforcement is not working because the Government treats it like an unpaid utility bill rather than a moral obligation that people have towards their children.

Answer from Andrew Western

The Government are committed to reforming the Child Maintenance Service to get more money to children by removing direct pay to combat hidden non-compliance, streamlining enforcement by introducing administrative liability orders and improving our most serious enforcement measures. There are currently no plans to introduce curfew measures; doing so would require amendments to primary legislation and raise significant safeguarding concerns for paying parents and those who live with them.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specifically avoided committing to or discussing the introduction of curfew orders without mentioning the need for primary legislation or safeguarding concerns

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Q2 Kieran Mullan Con Bexhill and Battle
Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

Millions of pounds of child maintenance go unspent annually, due to hidden non-compliance and parents pretending they cannot work.

Question

Every year, millions of pounds of child maintenance go unspent, not including deductions for money hidden away and parents who pretend they cannot work. Enforcement is not working because the Government treats it like an unpaid utility bill rather than a moral obligation that people have towards their children. I would like the Minister to revisit his suggestion that the Government would need primary legislation to use curfew orders.

Answer from Andrew Western

A range of serious enforcement powers are already available to the Department, including disqualification from driving, removal of a passport, taking control of people's goods and even commitment to prison in some cases. Significant safeguarding concerns arise as a result of the use of curfew orders; an individual subject to a curfew order recently murdered members of his family. On whether use of the orders requires primary legislation, I will follow up in writing to confirm.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specifically avoided committing to or discussing the introduction of curfew orders without mentioning the need for primary legislation or safeguarding concerns

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