I, too, welcome the amendments. The Minister was right to trail them at Second Reading. They are essential, and I am very pleased to see them in the form in which they appear before the Committee this afternoon. I have a number of questions that the Minister may be able...

I, too, welcome the amendments. The Minister was right to trail them at Second Reading. They are essential, and I am very pleased to see them in the form in which they appear before the Committee this afternoon. I have a number of questions that the Minister may be able...

I start by thanking both noble Lords for the enthusiasm with which they have received the amendments. The noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, asked whether we are jumping the gun because we have not worked out how this is going to work or whether it will require a change to the...

I start by thanking both noble Lords for the enthusiasm with which they have received the amendments. The noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, asked whether we are jumping the gun because we have not worked out how this is going to work or whether it will require a change to the...

I am grateful for that. Of course, there will be occasions when one parent takes the child or children on holiday one year and not the next, and so on. One can realistically think of all sorts of variables which ought, in all fairness, to come into the calculation. I...

I am grateful for that. Of course, there will be occasions when one parent takes the child or children on holiday one year and not the next, and so on. One can realistically think of all sorts of variables which ought, in all fairness, to come into the calculation. I...

Currently, if there is a dispute or change in perceptions of whether the 52- or 104-night threshold is to change, then there is a request for a change in assessment and a recalculation. In many cases, that gives rise to a lot of disputes. Even when there is agreement, there...

Currently, if there is a dispute or change in perceptions of whether the 52- or 104-night threshold is to change, then there is a request for a change in assessment and a recalculation. In many cases, that gives rise to a lot of disputes. Even when there is agreement, there...

The Minister trailed these provisions at Second Reading. Of course, it is absolutely right that CMEC should get all the information that it can without jeopardising the current rules of court. It will usually be the parent with care who releases the information, and it would be quite wrong if...

The Minister trailed these provisions at Second Reading. Of course, it is absolutely right that CMEC should get all the information that it can without jeopardising the current rules of court. It will usually be the parent with care who releases the information, and it would be quite wrong if...

The noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, has something here. Amendment No. 207 refers to Part 4 of the Bill, which deals specifically with mesothelioma. The amendment requires that the first set of any regulations made under Part 4 would be subject to parliamentary scrutiny under the affirmative resolution procedure. At present,...

The noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, has something here. Amendment No. 207 refers to Part 4 of the Bill, which deals specifically with mesothelioma. The amendment requires that the first set of any regulations made under Part 4 would be subject to parliamentary scrutiny under the affirmative resolution procedure. At present,...

moved Amendment No. 205: 205: Schedule 6, page 69, line 21, at end insert— ““( ) In this paragraph, ““contributions”” means contributions under Part 1 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992.”” On Question, amendment agreed to. [Amendment No. 206 not moved.] Schedule 6, as amended, agreed to....

moved Amendment No. 205: 205: Schedule 6, page 69, line 21, at end insert— ““( ) In this paragraph, ““contributions”” means contributions under Part 1 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992.”” On Question, amendment agreed to. [Amendment No. 206 not moved.] Schedule 6, as amended, agreed to....

moved Amendments Nos. 208 and 209: 208: Clause 52, page 42, line 31, after ““(4)”” insert ““, and no order may be made under section (Review of the status of the Commission)(6),”” 209: Clause 52, page 42, line 32, after ““regulations”” insert ““or order”” On Question, amendments agreed to. [Amendment...

moved Amendments Nos. 208 and 209: 208: Clause 52, page 42, line 31, after ““(4)”” insert ““, and no order may be made under section (Review of the status of the Commission)(6),”” 209: Clause 52, page 42, line 32, after ““regulations”” insert ““or order”” On Question, amendments agreed to. [Amendment...

moved Amendment No. 219: 219: Clause 56, page 43, line 39, at end insert— ““( ) An order may be made under section 32I of the Child Support Act 1991 (c. 48) in respect of an amount even though the time within which an application could have been instituted under...

moved Amendment No. 219: 219: Clause 56, page 43, line 39, at end insert— ““( ) An order may be made under section 32I of the Child Support Act 1991 (c. 48) in respect of an amount even though the time within which an application could have been instituted under...

I shall make that unanimous. This is the first Committee stage in which I have really been involved, and it is astonishingly more detailed, instructive and valuable than such stages are in another place, in my experience. That is something that I shall no doubt have to get used to....

I shall make that unanimous. This is the first Committee stage in which I have really been involved, and it is astonishingly more detailed, instructive and valuable than such stages are in another place, in my experience. That is something that I shall no doubt have to get used to....

Correct.

Correct.

But not Clauses 45 to 47?

But not Clauses 45 to 47?

On behalf of the Opposition, I reciprocate the Minister’s words. We have had an exhaustive exploration of the whole subject of child maintenance and when we get to the next stage we will be able to refine our arguments dramatically. I have appreciated the Minister’s way of handling the Bill...

On behalf of the Opposition, I reciprocate the Minister’s words. We have had an exhaustive exploration of the whole subject of child maintenance and when we get to the next stage we will be able to refine our arguments dramatically. I have appreciated the Minister’s way of handling the Bill...

moved Amendments Nos. 215 to 218: 215: Clause 56, page 43, line 30, after ““32G,”” insert ““32HA,”” 216: Clause 56, page 43, line 30, after ““49A”” insert ““, 49AA”” 217: Clause 56, page 43, line 34, after ““32G,”” insert ““32HA,”” 218: Clause 56, page 43, line 34, leave out ““and...

moved Amendments Nos. 215 to 218: 215: Clause 56, page 43, line 30, after ““32G,”” insert ““32HA,”” 216: Clause 56, page 43, line 30, after ““49A”” insert ““, 49AA”” 217: Clause 56, page 43, line 34, after ““32G,”” insert ““32HA,”” 218: Clause 56, page 43, line 34, leave out ““and...

I apologise for putting the amendment to the wrong clause. Like the noble Baroness and the Minister, I am 100 per cent in favour of netting off in the special examples given by the Minister and in the notes on the clauses. I think I must have private discussions with...

I apologise for putting the amendment to the wrong clause. Like the noble Baroness and the Minister, I am 100 per cent in favour of netting off in the special examples given by the Minister and in the notes on the clauses. I think I must have private discussions with...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, for the amendment. The clause to which he attached it focuses on something slightly different from the issue of shared care arrangements. I shall deal with that first and then try to pick up some of the points made about shared care. Currently,...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, for the amendment. The clause to which he attached it focuses on something slightly different from the issue of shared care arrangements. I shall deal with that first and then try to pick up some of the points made about shared care. Currently,...

moved Amendment No. 203: 203: Schedule 6, page 69, line 13, after first ““tax,”” insert ““contributions,”” On Question, amendment agreed to. [Amendment No. 204 not moved.]

moved Amendment No. 203: 203: Schedule 6, page 69, line 13, after first ““tax,”” insert ““contributions,”” On Question, amendment agreed to. [Amendment No. 204 not moved.]

I think the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, may have something here. It is right to discuss something new. If there is a good reason why we should not do this, I would be interested to hear about it. It is not a big ask, to put it bluntly. I do...

I think the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, may have something here. It is right to discuss something new. If there is a good reason why we should not do this, I would be interested to hear about it. It is not a big ask, to put it bluntly. I do...

I am happy to concur with that conclusion. It is certainly true that the Government’s policy is to move all financial support in the direction of child benefit and tax credits. We know that that is already happening for new claimants, but the latest date for transfer that I have—it...

I am happy to concur with that conclusion. It is certainly true that the Government’s policy is to move all financial support in the direction of child benefit and tax credits. We know that that is already happening for new claimants, but the latest date for transfer that I have—it...

I have two things to say about that. Circumstances in Scotland are different in a number of respects. One of the most fundamental is that the Scottish courts, unlike the English, are accustomed to doing maintenance calculations—at least they did in my day. I may be talking slightly out of...

I have two things to say about that. Circumstances in Scotland are different in a number of respects. One of the most fundamental is that the Scottish courts, unlike the English, are accustomed to doing maintenance calculations—at least they did in my day. I may be talking slightly out of...