The Child Maintenance Service

This article gives links to two debates in the House of Commons on the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), held in May 2022.

It also has links to research on the CMS from the House of Commons Library, relating to:

• Reform
• Fees, enforcement and arrears
• Calculations, variations and income.

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What is an adjournment debate?

Adjournment debates take place at the end of each sitting day in the House of Commons Chamber and usually last for 30 minutes.

They are held on the motion ‘that the House do now adjourn’. In other words, once the adjournment debate has finished, the House will close for the day.

Any backbench MP can apply to hold an adjournment debate on any subject which the Government are responsible for, providing it does not call for legislation.

Ordinarily, the MP holding the adjournment debate will make a speech of approximately 15 minutes. Following on from this the responding minister can speak for the remaining amount of time. Other MPs may intervene during the speeches, however they must have been granted permission to do so by either the MP or minister.

How Parliament works: Adjournment debates.

What is a Backbench Business debate?

Backbench Business debates give backbenchers (MPs of any party who are not ministers or shadow ministers) an opportunity to secure a debate on a topic of their choice, either in the House of Commons Chamber or in Westminster Hall.

 MPs can make a request for a debate to the Backbench Business Committee, who hears and decides which debates to schedule.

The debates can either be general debates (which do not end in a vote) or be on a substantive motion (which calls for an action and can end in a vote).

• Committee pages: Backbench Business Committee
• MPs' Guide to Procedure: Backbench Business Committee debates.

• Search hansard.parliament.uk for debates, oral statements, oral questions and more.

• Search questions-statements.parliament.uk for written questions, answers and written statements.

• Search committees.parliament.uk for information on committees, their inquiries and publications.