Written questions

Children: Maintenance

Commons · Question 102076 · Tabled 2 Jan 2026 · Department for Work and Pensions · Official record

Answered 12 Jan 2026

Question

Asked by Blake Stephenson

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of CMS enforcement.

Answer

Answered by Andrew Western, 12 Jan 2026

If paying parents fail to meet their financial obligation to their children, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has a range of strong enforcement powers, including deductions directly from earnings and bank accounts, removing a parent’s passport or drivi...