'Time to scrap CSA' - says Solihull Member of Parliament

8.47.57am GMT Fri 18th Nov 2005

Solihull MP Lorely Burt has repeated her Party's calls to scrap the Child Support Agency following a surprise announcement from the Prime Minister yesterday ordering the break up of the Agency.

Lorely Burt said: "The CSA is acting as judge, jury and enforcer on payments by absent parents, and is simply failing to cope. Over one million calls to the helpline went unanswered last year and over £1.7 billion in payments from absent parents remains due."

"New figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats in Parliament have revealed that 35,000 cases of maladministration in payments have been made, some worth between £10,000 and £50,000 since December 2001," Mrs Burt explained.

"That is the equivalent of over 50 maladministration payments in Solihull alone!"

"I welcome Mr Blair's acceptance that the CSA is not working, but his announcement runs contrary to the view of Ministers who have been sticking to the line that gradual reform is the best option", Lorely added. "This is sending out confusing signals to thousands of lone parents desperately waiting for payments.

"Lord Hunt said that the CSA could be reformed through a gradual process. Now the Prime Minister's comments imply that he realises there is no other way forward than to scrap the CSA. Parents who view the CSA with nothing but contempt or despair need to know that its days are numbered and that its functions will be transferred to the Revenue so that it better serves those who are trying to pay fair maintenance and properly pursue those who aren't."