My Lords, the guts of the answer that the Minister has given to estranged parents with children with whom CMEC becomes involved is that it may well not be until 2013 or 2014 that nobody will be on either of the two old schemes. That will disappoint an enormous number...

My Lords, the guts of the answer that the Minister has given to estranged parents with children with whom CMEC becomes involved is that it may well not be until 2013 or 2014 that nobody will be on either of the two old schemes. That will disappoint an enormous number...

My Lords, stating the obvious yes, but this is the first time it has been stated during the proceedings on the Bill. I have been pushing away on all this for a considerable number of months now, aided and abetted sometimes by the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood. It is quite...

My Lords, stating the obvious yes, but this is the first time it has been stated during the proceedings on the Bill. I have been pushing away on all this for a considerable number of months now, aided and abetted sometimes by the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood. It is quite...

My Lords, I understand what the noble Lord is saying and recognise his ongoing concerns about the IT systems. I agree that it is important that those systems are right. The commission will inevitably inherit the current systems as improved by PR1. The fact that we resist being specific on...

My Lords, I understand what the noble Lord is saying and recognise his ongoing concerns about the IT systems. I agree that it is important that those systems are right. The commission will inevitably inherit the current systems as improved by PR1. The fact that we resist being specific on...

My Lords, I support the amendment. It is important that the House sets standards by which the commission should consider introducing the transition. A point that has continued to concern the Opposition during the Bill’s passage is the way in which the computer software and hardware seem to be always...

My Lords, I support the amendment. It is important that the House sets standards by which the commission should consider introducing the transition. A point that has continued to concern the Opposition during the Bill’s passage is the way in which the computer software and hardware seem to be always...

My Lords, I welcome the noble Lord’s amendment and his interest in the movement of cases to the new arrangements. It is an important subject which we have discussed before. We know from experience that this will be one of the most significant challenges for the commission. In the light...

My Lords, I welcome the noble Lord’s amendment and his interest in the movement of cases to the new arrangements. It is an important subject which we have discussed before. We know from experience that this will be one of the most significant challenges for the commission. In the light...

My Lords, of course that is what we all hope for. I was rather slow on the uptake in answer to the interruption of the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, about whether the mother was on benefit. The Bill changes that situation. I am interested in the future rather than the...

My Lords, of course that is what we all hope for. I was rather slow on the uptake in answer to the interruption of the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, about whether the mother was on benefit. The Bill changes that situation. I am interested in the future rather than the...

My Lords, of course one would be foolish not to recognise that there may well be circumstances in extremis where the financial adjustment that shared care would produce could discourage shared care, but we do not believe that that is the generality. As I said, I believe that there is...

My Lords, of course one would be foolish not to recognise that there may well be circumstances in extremis where the financial adjustment that shared care would produce could discourage shared care, but we do not believe that that is the generality. As I said, I believe that there is...

moved Amendment No. 5: 5: Schedule 4, page 71, line 41, after first ““is,”” insert ““has been,”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, this may be thought to be a curious piece of drafting, but it provides a hook on which I can develop an argument. Since Report, I have...

moved Amendment No. 5: 5: Schedule 4, page 71, line 41, after first ““is,”” insert ““has been,”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, this may be thought to be a curious piece of drafting, but it provides a hook on which I can develop an argument. Since Report, I have...

My Lords, we need just one more piece of information. Is the parent with care to whom the noble Lord refers on benefit? His opening remarks seemed to suggest that she was not, in which case the arrangements could go undisturbed, but he then referred to the CSA, which suggested...

My Lords, we need just one more piece of information. Is the parent with care to whom the noble Lord refers on benefit? His opening remarks seemed to suggest that she was not, in which case the arrangements could go undisturbed, but he then referred to the CSA, which suggested...

My Lords, I am only relating the facts as presented to me in the letter. I do not know the answer to the noble Baroness’s question. But the point is, surely, that even if the mother—or, indeed, the father—was on benefit, the amicable arrangement could or should have continued. As...

My Lords, I am only relating the facts as presented to me in the letter. I do not know the answer to the noble Baroness’s question. But the point is, surely, that even if the mother—or, indeed, the father—was on benefit, the amicable arrangement could or should have continued. As...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for tabling this amendment, the import of which I understand a little better having heard him speak to it. The amendment would mean that when there had been shared care of 52 or more nights in the preceding 12-month period, the amount of...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for tabling this amendment, the import of which I understand a little better having heard him speak to it. The amendment would mean that when there had been shared care of 52 or more nights in the preceding 12-month period, the amount of...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, for the amendment, which, as he explained, seeks to extend the current period of 12 months during which parents with minutes of agreement registered in the Books of Council and Session or the sheriff court books may not apply to the...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, for the amendment, which, as he explained, seeks to extend the current period of 12 months during which parents with minutes of agreement registered in the Books of Council and Session or the sheriff court books may not apply to the...

My Lords, far be it from me to get involved with the expertise of the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, based on his extensive background in legal practice in Scotland on the subject of child maintenance. I therefore wish to degroup my Amendment No. 19 from the Scottish provisions, because it...

My Lords, far be it from me to get involved with the expertise of the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, based on his extensive background in legal practice in Scotland on the subject of child maintenance. I therefore wish to degroup my Amendment No. 19 from the Scottish provisions, because it...

moved Amendment No. 4: 4: Clause 62, page 50, line 17, at end insert— ““( ) An order under subsection (3) may include such transitional provision or savings as the Secretary of State considers necessary or expedient in connection with bringing any provision of this Act into force.”” On Question,...

moved Amendment No. 4: 4: Clause 62, page 50, line 17, at end insert— ““( ) An order under subsection (3) may include such transitional provision or savings as the Secretary of State considers necessary or expedient in connection with bringing any provision of this Act into force.”” On Question,...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply and for the trouble that he took in considering again this important question. It will continue to be an issue, and I hope that he will keep it under careful review, but on the basis of what he said, I am...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply and for the trouble that he took in considering again this important question. It will continue to be an issue, and I hope that he will keep it under careful review, but on the basis of what he said, I am...

moved Amendment No. 2: 2: Clause 18, page 16, line 30, at end insert— ““(A1) On expulsion or exclusion from membership of a trade union on grounds of membership of a political party, a proper balance shall be struck on the facts and circumstances of the case as between the...

moved Amendment No. 2: 2: Clause 18, page 16, line 30, at end insert— ““(A1) On expulsion or exclusion from membership of a trade union on grounds of membership of a political party, a proper balance shall be struck on the facts and circumstances of the case as between the...

My Lords, I am happy to confirm that it will be by an affirmative process. That is right, given the nature of the decision. On Question, amendment agreed to. Clause 35 [Registered maintenance agreements: Scotland]:

My Lords, I am happy to confirm that it will be by an affirmative process. That is right, given the nature of the decision. On Question, amendment agreed to. Clause 35 [Registered maintenance agreements: Scotland]:

My Lords, the review does not cause the Crown body to cease. What causes it, surely, is the Secretary of State’s intention.

My Lords, the review does not cause the Crown body to cease. What causes it, surely, is the Secretary of State’s intention.

My Lords, that is right, of course, but it follows the consequences and the review.

My Lords, that is right, of course, but it follows the consequences and the review.

My Lords, we on this side of the House have no objection to these two sensible amendments. However, I would like to pick the Minister up on one tiny point. I understood him to say that when CMEC ceases to exist, then the order will be passed. I am sure...

My Lords, we on this side of the House have no objection to these two sensible amendments. However, I would like to pick the Minister up on one tiny point. I understood him to say that when CMEC ceases to exist, then the order will be passed. I am sure...