NEW CSA PROPOSALS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 14th Dec 2006

Speaking in the House of Commons during this afternoon's statement on the Child Support Agency (CSA), Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield, said:

"Like all MPs I have many constituents who come to see me with severe problems relating to the failures of the CSA.

"One major concern is the length of time it will take to introduce some of these reforms - years into the future. "I called for some of these changes to be implemented between 2002-2005 when I was the Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions.

"Can the Secretary of State explain why he - or rather his predecessors in the Department failed to make major reforms 5 -10 years ago when they were repeatedly asked to do so by all concerned?"

Commenting after the statement, Paul Holmes MP added:

"This neglect and delay by the Labour Government has plunged many families in Chesterfield into despair.

"The Government has written off £800 million, 23% of the money owed to desperate single parents.

"Not only is this a disgraceful betrayal from the Labour Government and their incompetent and inadequate CSA, but John Hutton tried to mislead Parliament by hiding hide his write off of arrears in the small print of today's statement.

"Not a single penny of unpaid maintenance that has a chance of being collected should be written off."