Siouxsie
27-01-2009, 11:05 AM
Absent fathers who fail to pay towards their children's upbringing could have their passports and driving licences summarily seized by bureaucrats.
Child maintenance officials will be able to stop 'deadbeat dads' from going on holidays and business trips abroad or using their cars.
It represents the first time civil servants and Government agencies will be able to bypass the normal legal process in this way.
At present, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission must apply to the courts to have a negligent father's driving licence or passport cancelled.
But under legislation being unveiled by Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell tomorrow, civil servants will be able to sign the orders themselves.
Critics - already alarmed by a series of Big Brother measures from the Government - were angered last night by the introduction of the so-called 'administrative-justice plans'.
Millions of pounds in maintenance was collected after similar schemes were imposed in the U.S. and Australia.
Mr Purnell will justify the move as essential to deal with parents who refuse to fulfil their financial responsibilities to their children.
He said: 'We are supporting parents in these tough times, but for those who choose not to support their own kids, we will not stand by and do nothing.
'If a parent refuses to pay up, we will stop them travelling abroad or even using their car.
'We want fair rules for everybody. That means giving people the support they need, but in return expecting them to live up to their responsibilities.'
Defaulters would simply receive notification from the CMEC that they could no longer drive or go abroad.
A source at the Department for Work and Pensions said: 'Some go to great lengths to avoid paying. We will use all the enforcement tools possible to make them pay what they owe.'
The commission says the sanction will only be used as a 'last resort'.
But LibDem work and pensions spokesman Steve Webb said: 'In court, a judge decides whether something is justified, looks at the evidence and allows all sides to have their say.
'New Labour has never liked having its actions challenged by the courts or anyone else. But what happens when an official gets it wrong?'
In December 2007, the Lords' constitution committee warned that giving state officials the power to cancel passports would be a 'serious' curtailment of long-standing freedoms.
It added: 'Travel to and from one's country is a right of great significance and should only be curtailed after a rigorous decision process.'
The CMEC last year replaced the failed Child Support Agency, which was abolished after letting child maintenance arrears build up to £3.5billion.
Child maintenance officials will be able to stop 'deadbeat dads' from going on holidays and business trips abroad or using their cars.
It represents the first time civil servants and Government agencies will be able to bypass the normal legal process in this way.
At present, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission must apply to the courts to have a negligent father's driving licence or passport cancelled.
But under legislation being unveiled by Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell tomorrow, civil servants will be able to sign the orders themselves.
Critics - already alarmed by a series of Big Brother measures from the Government - were angered last night by the introduction of the so-called 'administrative-justice plans'.
Millions of pounds in maintenance was collected after similar schemes were imposed in the U.S. and Australia.
Mr Purnell will justify the move as essential to deal with parents who refuse to fulfil their financial responsibilities to their children.
He said: 'We are supporting parents in these tough times, but for those who choose not to support their own kids, we will not stand by and do nothing.
'If a parent refuses to pay up, we will stop them travelling abroad or even using their car.
'We want fair rules for everybody. That means giving people the support they need, but in return expecting them to live up to their responsibilities.'
Defaulters would simply receive notification from the CMEC that they could no longer drive or go abroad.
A source at the Department for Work and Pensions said: 'Some go to great lengths to avoid paying. We will use all the enforcement tools possible to make them pay what they owe.'
The commission says the sanction will only be used as a 'last resort'.
But LibDem work and pensions spokesman Steve Webb said: 'In court, a judge decides whether something is justified, looks at the evidence and allows all sides to have their say.
'New Labour has never liked having its actions challenged by the courts or anyone else. But what happens when an official gets it wrong?'
In December 2007, the Lords' constitution committee warned that giving state officials the power to cancel passports would be a 'serious' curtailment of long-standing freedoms.
It added: 'Travel to and from one's country is a right of great significance and should only be curtailed after a rigorous decision process.'
The CMEC last year replaced the failed Child Support Agency, which was abolished after letting child maintenance arrears build up to £3.5billion.