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Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill

As I understand it, these amendments give the commission powers to reconsider or investigate, depending on whether they are acting for or against the non-resident parent, the payments that the non-resident parent is obliged to pay in relation to their income. I call these enforced payments, although I am sure that is not a technical term. When calculating them there will inevitably be parties who feel an injustice has been done. It is virtually impossible to negotiate a perfect solution; but, as in life, I am afraid so it is in child maintenance payments. A decision has to be made at one point and reviewing and re-reviewing such decisions wastes precious resources to no great objective. It also sends out a message to non-resident parents that decisions made by the commission can be taken lightly and overturned. That would be a disaster because we would be back in the old ball game of the CSA for totally different reasons. Of course, the commission must develop a human face—we all agree with that—and make accessible to parents a whole support network, but it must be seen to have conviction on its decisions. Of course, the decisions can be appealed and later we will have discussion on what level of appeal is appropriate in particular cases. Although they can be appealed, the commission must have conviction over what it does. That is absolutely essential.