[F16.—(1) The Department may by regulations make provision with respect to the directions which may be given in a departure direction.N.I.
(2) No directions may be given other than those which are permitted by the regulations.
(3) Regulations under this paragraph may, in particular, make provision for a departure direction to require—
(a)the substitution, for any formula set out in Part I of Schedule 1, of such other formula as may be prescribed;
(b)any prescribed amount by reference to which any calculation is to be made in fixing the amount of child support maintenance to be increased or reduced in accordance with the regulations;
(c)the substitution, for any provision in accordance with which any such calculation is to be made, of such other provision as may be prescribed.
(4) Regulations may limit the extent to which the amount of the child support maintenance fixed by a maintenance assessment made as a result of a departure direction may differ from the amount of the child support maintenance which would be fixed by a maintenance assessment made otherwise than as a result of the direction.
(5) Regulations may provide for the amount of any special expenses to be taken into account in a case falling within paragraph 2, for the purposes of a departure direction, not to exceed such amount as may be prescribed or as may be determined in accordance with the regulations.
(6) No departure direction may be given so as to have the effect of denying to an absent parent the protection of paragraph 6 of Schedule 1.
(7) Sub-paragraph (6) does not prevent the modification of the provisions of, or made under, paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 to the extent permitted by regulations under this paragraph.
(8) Any regulations under this paragraph may make different provision with respect to different levels of income.]