Written questions by Tugendhat.

Which international child maintenance systems his Department has reviewed in the last five years as comparators for reform of the Child Maintenance Service; and what key lessons were identified.

The Child Maintenance Service keeps international practice under review and draws on lessons from other systems where appropriate. In recent years, we have looked at approaches in countries including Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the United States. While international approaches differ and direct comparisons are challenging, our review indicates that the UK Child Maintenance system is effective at tackling child poverty. In the UK, child maintenance payments do not reduce benefit entitlements, which boosts household income and strengthens efforts to reduce child poverty. By separating child maintenance from benefits, the UK approach strengthens its impact on reducing poverty and may improve incentives to pay, ensuring the support is meaningful for both parents.

How many staff the Child Maintenance Service employs; and what the average caseload is per caseworker in the (a) enforcement, (b) calculation and (c) complaints teams.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) employs staff across a range of operational functions to support the effective administration of child maintenance arrangements. Staffing levels and the nature of work vary between business areas, including enforcement, calculation and complaints, reflecting the different responsibilities and complexity of activity undertaken within each team.As of 30 November 2025, CMS employed 4,972 staff. This comprises 4,148 staff employed by the Department for Work and Pensions in Great Britain and 824 staff employed by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.CMS does not routinely apply, or publish, a caseload per caseworker measure. This is because such a metric can be misleading: not all cases have active work attached to them at any given time, while others may generate multiple work items and require different levels of intervention depending on their complexity. Volumes also constantly fluctuate as a case progresses and is therefore only accurate in that moment of time.While individual caseloads are not calculated, CMS continually monitors workloads and resources across all operational areas to ensure cases are managed effectively. The service is currently resourced at a level appropriate to its operational demand, ensuring that support is directed to the teams and functions where it is most needed.

What estimate he has made of the number of paying parents using (a) cash-based and (b) undeclared income sources to avoid maintenance payments; and what steps the Child Maintenance Service is taking to identify hidden earnings.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) focuses on maximising compliance and identifying hidden earnings through measures such as datasharing with HMRC.Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the latest tax year available. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately. Use of historic income ensures a stable calculation, which we know from customer feedback is valued as it enables parents to rely on maintenance for financial planning purposes.In the event a receiving parent believes a paying parent’s earnings are not captured in the standard calculation using HMRC gross income data, they can apply for a variation, under which certain other categories of income can be considered.Cases where CMS have reason to believe paying parents maybe hiding their income can be investigated by the Financial Investigation Unit. This is a specialist team which can request information from financial institutions (such as banks, investment companies and mortgage companies) to check the accuracy of information that the CMS is given. If any discrepancies are found, they can implement a correct maintenance liability that is supported by CMS legislation.

Whether he has had discussions with NICE on the potential merits of innovative brain cancer treatments in Germany that are not currently available on the NHS.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has had no discussions with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on the potential merits of innovative brain cancer treatments in Germany that are not currently available on the National Health Service.In England, NICE makes recommendations for the NHS on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NHS is legally required to fund NICE recommended medicines, normally within three months of final guidance, and cancer medicines are eligible for funding from the point of a positive draft NICE recommendation. NICE aims wherever possible to issue guidance on new medicines close to the time of licensing to ensure that patients are able to benefit from rapid access to clinically and cost effective new medicines.

How many children are included in Child Maintenance Service cases in which the paying parent has been subject to three or more separate enforcement actions for non payment.

The information requested on the number of children in Child Maintenance Service cases which have been subject to three or more separate enforcement actions is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of Child Maintenance Service safeguarding procedures for parents who have experienced domestic abuse; and whether changes have been made to those procedures recently.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) takes the issue of domestic abuse very seriously and is committed to ensuring victims and survivors of abuse get the help and support they need to use the CMS safely. The CMS has substantially strengthened its procedures and processes to support customers who are experiencing domestic abuse. They will not be complacent and will always look at ways to go even further. The CMS has refreshed its approach and understanding of domestic abuse to include financial and coercive control and better awareness of how abuse affects all genders. A programme of refresher training has been underway for all existing CMS colleagues during 2025. The CMS has access to resources which help caseworkers provide signposting to supporting organisations, and a Domestic Abuse Plan which includes clear steps to follow in order to support customers who are experiencing abuse. The list of resources and Domestic Abuse Plan are regularly reviewed. As well as the Domestic Abuse Plan, the CMS responds to cases involving domestic abuse in several ways, including by acting as an intermediary in Direct Pay cases, and providing advice on how to set up bank accounts with a centralised sort code to limit the risk of a parent’s location being traced. There is a specialist team in CMS who deliver targeted support to parents subject to the most challenging and complex domestic abuse. We have implemented a more efficient process to move a case to collect and pay when the receiving parent reports missed payments.

What the annual collection rate is for child maintenance under (a) Collect and Pay and (b) Direct Pay.

The Department regularly publishes Child Maintenance Service official statistics, with the latest statistics available to September 2025. Table 4 and Table 5 of the accompanying National tables provide information on the amount of child maintenance that should have been paid through Direct Pay and Collect and Pay arrangements, as well as the amounts that remain unpaid under each method.

How many Child Maintenance Service cases in each of the last five years have had a safeguarding flag applied due to domestic abuse concerns; and how many of those cases involved Collect and Pay arrangements.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. The Child Maintenance Serviced (CMS) takes the issue of domestic abuse very seriously and is committed to ensuring victims and survivors of abuse get the help and support they need to use the CMS safely. CMS caseworkers are provided with domestic abuse training to ensure they understand, recognise and respond safely and appropriately to customers who are experiencing domestic abuse, or are survivors of domestic abuse. A programme of refresher training has been underway for all existing CMS colleagues during 2025. There is a specialist team in place in CMS who deliver targeted support to parents subject to the most challenging and complex domestic abuse.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of Child Maintenance Service delays and errors on child poverty levels and low-income households.

We know that children in separated families are poorer and more likely to live in poverty than those in non-separated families. Child maintenance payments through both statutory and non-statutory arrangements keep approximately 120,000 children out of poverty each year. The Department legally relies on data from HM Revenue & Customs and its own benefits data to assess 90% of paying parents earned income and benefit status, which are key parts of the maintenance calculation and maintains a stable accuracy rate of 99.5% CMS undertake regular quality assurance checks and continually monitors processes to identify improvements.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the reasons people with brain cancer are seeking treatment outside the UK, particularly in Germany, including the trend in the level of such treatments.

Ensuring patients have access to the latest and most effective treatment options is a top priority for the Government.That is why we are committed to supporting an innovative clinical research ecosystem in the United Kingdom so that patients in this country can be among the first to benefit as we make the National Health Service fit for the future.The Government is supportive of Scott Arthur’s Private Members Bill on rare cancers, which will make it easier for clinical trials into rare cancers, such as brain cancers, to take place in England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers. This will ensure that the NHS will remain at the forefront of medical innovation and is able to provide patients with the newest, most effective treatment options, and ultimately boost survival rates.

How many Child Maintenance Service enforcement actions in the most recent year for which data is available resulted in (a) full recovery of arrears, (b) partial recovery of arrears and (c) no recovery of arrears, by type of enforcement action.

The information requested on the number of Child Maintenance Service (CMS) enforcement actions that resulted in full, partial or no recovery of arrears, broken down by type of enforcement action, is not readily available, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of enforcement, including the recovery rate following (a) liability orders, (b) bailiff action and (c) deduction orders.

The Department monitors the effectiveness of Child Maintenance Service (CMS) enforcement processes to ensure compliance and support the collection of maintenance owed to children. The information requested on assessments of the effectiveness of individual enforcement routes, including recovery rates is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. However, the Department publishes Child Maintenance Service (CMS) statistics regularly, and the latest statistics on enforcement actions taken by CMS, including the amount of money collected, are available for September 2025 in the latest data tables. ‘Table 6.1: Enforcement Actions, Great Britain, April 2015 to September 2025’ provides information on the amounts recovered and actions taken by CMS, including sanctions and other Civil Enforcement actions. Please refer to the ‘Notes’ provided below the tables and the ‘Child Maintenance Service statistics: background information and methodology’ document for further detail and guidance on interpretation.

How many Child Maintenance Service cases involve missed payments for more than three months before enforcement action begins; and what factors account for delays.

The information requested on the time from missed payments to enforcement action is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) remains committed to ensuring that children receive the financial support to which they are entitled and will always attempt to secure alternative methods of payments to gain improved compliance in cases where this fails. While enforcement aims to be swift, paying parents have a right to appeal, which can delay proceedings. The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) must balance timely action with procedural fairness.

How many paying parents have a nil assessment for child maintenance, including by each reason for a nil assessment.

The information requested on the number of paying parents with a nil assessment, broken down by each reason for that assessment, is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. A nil assessment for Child Maintenance applies only in specific circumstances. This includes where the paying parent has very low or no income, is in education or government approved training, is under 16, is receiving certain income related benefits, is in prison, or is in state funded residential care.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the backlog of Child Maintenance Service enforcement cases and increase compliance.

The Department does not have a backlog of Child Maintenance Service (CMS) enforcement cases. All cases requiring enforcement action are being actively progressed in accordance with established operational procedures.The Department continues to strengthen enforcement activity to ensure that parents meet their financial responsibilities. In recent years, it has expanded the range of enforcement powers available to the CMS, enhanced case‑handling processes, and invested in additional capability to take timely action when payments are missed.As a result of this sustained focus, published statistics show a significant increase in compliance, with the proportion of paying parents who paid some maintenance rising from 64% in the quarter ending September 2022 to 74% in the quarter ending September 2025. The Department remains committed to driving further improvement.System improvements have been introduced to allow earlier identification of cases at risk of non‑payment, enabling quicker action to re‑establish compliance when payments fail or become irregular.As part of wider reforms, the Government proposes moving to a single service by removing Direct Pay and expanding the Collect and Pay service. This will create a fully monitored system in which all payments are visible in real time, making non‑compliance easier to detect and allowing faster enforcement intervention.To strengthen enforcement further, work is underway to introduce administrative liability orders (ALOs), which would remove the need to apply to the courts and reduce the current process to around six weeks in most cases. The Department is working with HMCTS and the Scottish Government to introduce regulations to Parliament as soon as possible.The CMS remains focused on ensuring that maintenance is paid promptly and in full.

What funding provisions are being put in place for hospice care, in the context of rising costs of living and changing needs of the staff.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative care and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.We understand the financial pressures faced by the hospice sector which is why we are supporting eligible adult, and children and young people’s hospices in England with a £100 million capital funding boost to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.Additionally, we are also providing £26 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26 and have also recently confirmed the continuation of this vital funding of at least £26 million, as it will be adjusted for inflation, each year from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.On hospice staff-related costs specifically, independent organisations, such as charities and social enterprises, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment, including pay scales. It is for them to determine what is affordable within the financial model they operate.In the long term, through our Modern Service Framework (MSF), we hope that, by supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. This would be more sustainable and help hospices plan ahead.I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement HCWS1087 I gave to the House.

What estimate her Department has made of the proportion of child maintenance arrears that are (a) likely to be recovered in full, (b) partly recoverable and (c) unlikely to be recovered.

Administrative child maintenance schemes have operated in the UK since 1993. This response addresses the position of arrears under the 2012 child maintenance scheme, which has managed new applications since December 2012. There are legislative differences between arrears arising under this scheme and those accrued under previous schemes.The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has a low percentage of unpaid maintenance. 7% of the total maintenance due to be paid since the CMS began, remains to be collected through Collect & PayUnder the CMS 2012 scheme, all arrears are regarded as collectable unless the receiving parent (or child in Scotland) requests that CMS cease action, or in limited circumstances such as the death of the paying parent where recovery from the estate is not possible. As arrears are owed to the receiving parent rather than the Secretary of State, CMS does not deem any debt uncollectable. CMS continues to focus on enforcement based on the paying parent’s ability to pay, which may vary over time, and actively pursues unpaid maintenance of all ages to ensure children receive the financial support to which they are entitled.

What performance metrics his Department uses to evaluate the timeliness and quality of support provided to Members of Parliament when handling child maintenance queries.

The Department’s internal performance metric is to aim to provide a response to MP and Customer enquiries or complaints within 15 working days or to advise them when to expect a response, if the matter is complex and will take longer. To embed quality and consistency into our handling of complaints and enquiries, DWP implemented a Complaints Quality Standards Framework in 2022, which is supported by internal quality assurance measures, and aligned to the Cross Government Complaints Standards.

What proportion of the total value of child maintenance arrears has been outstanding for (a) under 12 months, (b) 1 to 3 years, (c) 3 to 7 years and (d) more than 7 years.

The Department publishes annual accounts for the client funds relating to the statutory child maintenance schemes. The latest accounts for financial year ending 2025 provide relevant figures in Table 1: Analysis of unpaid maintenance by year they originate.

What is the current total value is of child maintenance arrears.

The Child Maintenance Service is committed to ensuring that child maintenance is paid in full and on time, and where arrears occur we take robust action to recover money owed to children and families. The Department publishes quarterly statistics for the Child Maintenance Service and the latest statistics are currently available to June 2025. Table 5 of the latest National tables shows the total amount of child maintenance that Paying Parents should have paid since the Child Maintenance Service began, and how much of that has not been paid as at the end of June 2025.