Especially for JagLover

[silversun]

Because I knew you would like this one.

Telegraph said:

Courts may tag fathers who don't pay By Toby Helm, Chief Political Correspondent (Filed: 04/01/2006) Parents who refuse to pay child maintenance could be electronically tagged under a curfew system being considered by ministers. John Hutton, the Work and Pensions Secretary, confirmed yesterday that the Child Support Agency may be given powers to apply to courts to tag parents who failed in their obligations. "I am very much in favour of getting tough with people who are not meeting their responsibilities to their children," Mr Hutton said. Asked about tagging, he told Today on BBC Radio 4: "I have already said to the CSA that I wanted to get tougher with those dads who aren't paying for their kids and I am sure there will be a strong groundswell of support for such an approach." Mr Hutton, who will make a statement to Parliament within a fortnight on his plans for CSA reform, is also understood to be ready to order the extension of little-used powers such as confiscation of driving licenses. The agency has been dogged by administrative and computer problems since it was set up in 1993. It has failed to collect about £1.7 billion in unpaid maintenance and has a backlog of 350,000 cases. Its running costs far outstrip the amount of money recouped for broken families. Between April 2001 and last September, 27 absent parents were jailed for up to six weeks and 507 were given suspended sentences over failed maintenance payments. Powers to confiscate driving licences were used only nine times in the same period amid concerns that doing so could stop parents working. Tony Blair suggested before Christmas that the CSA might be dismantled because it was "not properly suited" to its roles of investigation, making judgments in disputes and enforcing rules.

>> Edited by silversun on Wednesday 4th January 13:33

[Jaglover]

silversun said:

Because I knew you would like this one. [quote=Telegraph] Parents who refuse to pay child maintenance could be electronically tagged under a curfew system being considered by ministers.

Why exactly

I have no objection for men paying for the maintenance of children born from a long term relationship (though I have questioned in the past whether they should be liable for children born as a result of a one night stand)

I'm sure there are arguments both for and against the proposal. It does raise concerns that people who have committed no crime should be tagged like a criminal on bail.

>> Edited by Jaglover on Wednesday 4th January 13:51

[silversun]

I think they should sort out the CSA first.

[jimothy]

silversun said:

I think they should sort out the CSA first.

Isn't last years figures something like £8m collected, but it costs £12m to run the CSA for a year...

[jimmytimmychanga]

Why tagging?

Obviously tagging is going to become the solution to everything, that will probably soon include speeding offences. You have been warned!

[wolves_wanderer]

They can also remove driving licences (good one, now how are you supposed to pay for your kids without a job) and passports. It is a typical New Labour fiasco and the fact that it costs more to run than it generates should suprise nobody.

[Kentish]

So what happens when there is say an increase that is in dispute, the CSA seize your driving license and tag you even though you are still paying?

I've never known my son, the ex buggered off the second she found out she was in the family way and as soon as he was born she went to the CSA but I'm the one who has been treated like a criminal by them in the past - I've been threatened with seizure of my assets including home and bailiffs just because I refused to pay them an extra £40 a month after my income had dropped by £15k.

I argued with them for 18 months until they decided they had made a mistake. I had to start paying my arrears before they decided that but they never did agree to refund any of my overpayments. Theiving bar stewards.



>> Edited by Kentish on Wednesday 4th January 15:58

[bga]

Is anything being done on the CSA IT?

I've been waiting for something about Disability Allowance reform to come out as they have had a huge project running for about 18 months to redesign the IT & process side of disability & carers allowance.
Unless they are doing something about CSA now, there won't be any realistic changes for at least 3 years.