Weblog archive for January 2003

CSA web site publishes material on Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders

Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders

This web site also has material on this topic:
Reciprocal arrangements with other countries

USA State Department " CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT ABROAD"

Inland Revenue staff may have used personal tax records "maliciously" to shop ex-spouses to the Child Support Agency.

Tony Dwyer, of the Inland Revenue's human resource and discipline section, said: "There have been a number of instances of celebrity browsing, or looking up the details of family or friends out of idle curiosity. But there is also evidence that some people are using the information maliciously. For example, finding out how much an ex-spouse earns and passing information to the Child Support Agency or even selling the information to outside agencies".

Telegraph, Rachel Sylvester, "Revenue staff selling tax secrets"
Times, Melissa Kite, "Starstruck taxmen caught selling celebrity secrets"
Independent, Andrew Grice, "Tax office cracks down on snooping by its staff"
BBC, "Tax records 'for sale' scandal"

Parliamentary inquiry into the work of the CSA Centre in Falkirk

The Scottish Affairs committee announced this on 22nd January. Written evidence by 28th February.

DEPARTMENTAL SELECT COMMITTEES CURRENT INQUIRIES

The date to start the new scheme has been announced

Andrew Smith, Cabinet Minister for social security, including the CSA, has announced the start date for the new scheme to Parliament. This is the 3rd March 2003 for new cases and for certain linked cases. No date has been announced for the conversion of non-linked existing cases, but informed speculation suggests March 2004.

Announcement to Parliament that the new scheme would start for new customers on 3rd March 2003

Implications of the announcement have been posted to this web site

The cost of childcare in the UK is Europe's highest

The Daycare Trust charity has revealed in a survey that UK childcare bills are "Europe's highest". The typical cost of a full-time place with a childminder for a child under two was £118 a week, while the typical cost for an after-school club was £34 for 15 hours a week. Daycare Trust says working families on lower incomes who receive help towards child care through the childcare tax credit still have to find at least 30 per cent of the cost of child care and most have to pay well over twice that. The average award through the childcare tax credit of £40.61 a week was less than a third of the typical cost of a nursery place.

Daycare Trust, the national childcare charity

Independent, Jeremy Laurance, "UK childcare bills 'Europe's highest' at £128 a week"
BBC, "Childcare costs 'reach record levels'"

Outstanding questions about the new scheme posted on this web site

There are still some unresolved questions about rules and operation of the new scheme, for example concerning linkage, premature conversion, and handling of arrears. I've added a page to this web site to identify and discuss these questions.

Here are some unresolved questions about the new scheme