Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill

The hon. Lady makes an interesting point about alterations in the level of debt. Historically, that has often happened because of the difficulties the agency has had in making the correct maintenance assessments in the first place, which led to wild variations in the assessment of debt in certain cases. That process needs to be stopped so that there is greater certainty about what is owed. The measures on current maintenance assessments and those that relate to the way the commission will operate are designed to put a stop to the volatility of debt assessments because the maintenance assessment will be correct from the start and will stay correct. We will no longer get such a wild oscillation, which the hon. Lady is right to say is distressing for parents with care who do not understand where they stand, and cannot make financial plans because they are not sure what the amount will be. The hon. Lady's second point about the need for correspondence from the agency and the commission to be absolutely clear is also well made. We have made that very clear to the commission, and the matter should be dealt with in that way. This area is difficult enough as it is without incomprehensible correspondence making it worse. That point is understood by the agency, which is reviewing the way letters are written, and that process will be carried forward into the work of the commission. We have had statements of support for the amendments, and I hope that they will now secure the support of the House. Lords amendment agreed to. Lords amendments Nos. 87 to 92 agreed to.