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Children: Maintenance

Volume 495: debated on Wednesday 8 July 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will bring forward proposals for non-resident parents to be reimbursed for clothing purchased for their children; and if she will make a statement. (283990)

There is no specific provision in legislation which allows the Child Support Agency to treat clothing purchased for children as “voluntary payments” for child maintenance purposes. However, the Agency is able to treat any form of payment as a voluntary payment where the parent with care accepts them in lieu of child maintenance; this could include clothing purchased for children.

An amendment to legislation is not therefore appropriate in this case.