Amendment of the Child Support (Collection and Enforcement) Regulations 19923.

(1)

The Child Support (Collection and Enforcement) Regulations 19926 are amended as follows.

(2)

In regulation 3 (method of payment)—

(a)

after paragraph (1)(f) add—

“(g)

by credit card;

(h)

by a voluntary deduction from earnings arrangement.”;

(b)

for paragraph (1A) substitute—

“(1A)

In paragraph (1)—

(a)

“debit card” means a card, operating as a substitute for a cheque, that can be used to obtain cash or to make a payment at a point of sale whereby the card holder’s bank or building society account is debited without deferment of payment;

(b)

“credit card” means a card which is a credit-token within the meaning of section 14(1)(b) of the Consumer Credit Act 19747;

(c)

“voluntary deduction from earnings arrangement” means an arrangement under which the liable person and his employer agree that payments of child support maintenance are to be deducted from the liable person’s earnings and paid to the Secretary of State.”.

(3)

In regulation 11(2) (protected earnings proportion) for the words from “as calculated” to the end substitute—

  • “as calculated—

    1. (a)

      at the date of the current maintenance calculation; or

    2. (b)

      if the deduction from earnings order relates only to arrears of child support maintenance, at the date on which the order is made or varied.”.

(4)

In regulation 26 (liability orders – extent of Part IV) for “regulation 29(2)” substitute “regulations 29(2) and 35(5)”.

(5)

In regulation 28 (application for a liability order)—

(a)

for paragraph (2) substitute—

“(2)

Subject to paragraph (2A), there is no period of limitation in relation to an application under paragraph (1).”;

(b)

after paragraph (2) insert—

“(2A)

An application under paragraph (1) may not be instituted in respect of an amount payment of which became due on or before 12th July 2000.”.