YES: Maria Miller, work and pensions minister
It is fair to ask for a small contribution to a dedicated service for child maintenance. The current system is divisive, grossly inefficient and still fails to get money for one in five children.
Our reforms will mean that for the first time families can choose: support from expert organisations to put in place their own financial agreements through Maintenance Direct with no ongoing charges; or a new, improved statutory scheme with tough enforcement powers, for which there will be a small charge.
We will continue to let lone parents on benefits keep all maintenance tax-free and in addition to their benefits. I believe that if parents pay a small contribution to the service, there will be more incentive to make agreements work and put the children first.
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