To ask the Minister for Communities what assessment her Department has made on the adequacy of the powers of the Child Maintenance Service to help prevent financial coercion through the non-payment of child maintenance.

The Child Maintenance Service does not have specific powers relating to financial coercion. If however, a Receiving Parent is not receiving the full maintenance payments they are entitled to, the case can be moved from the Direct Pay service to the Collect and Pay service. The Child Maintenance Service can then use administrative and legal powers available, up to and including enforcement powers to secure payment.

The Child Maintenance Service constantly reviews and improves its processes and services, including the approach it takes to supporting customers who are experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse, including financial coercion. The Child Maintenance Service provides mandatory domestic abuse awareness training to all staff, and caseworkers are trained to be aware of, and if possible, identify any instances of abuse and signpost these customers to specialist domestic abuse organisations. This is supported through additional guidance related to domestic abuse.