To ask the Minister for Communities (i) to detail which debts which are given priority over child maintenance payments; and (ii) whether he has any plans to enhance the priority of child maintenance payments to ensure the welfare of the child.

The debts that are prioritised before child maintenance deductions are taken include: housing costs, rent and/or service charges, gas and electricity arrears, rates arrears, water charges and fines or compensation orders.

The Department for Work and Pensions has recently announced that child maintenance deductions will now be moved up the priority order before repayments of Universal Credit Advances. This change is at a very early stage.

My officials will continue to engage with the Department for Work and Pensions on the implementation timeline.