My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Peter Hain) has made the following Statement.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Stephen Geraghty—the current chief executive of the Child Support Agency—as the commissioner designate of the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission as from 1 January 2008. I believe his appointment—alongside that of Janet Paraskeva as the chair designate—will give the commission an experienced and committed leadership well equipped for the vital task of tackling child poverty.

Subject to the passage of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will have responsibility for the future child maintenance system. The commission’s key objective will be to get more money to more families, helping to lift more children out of poverty.