Scottish Parliament Members’ Debate on Child Maintenance Service

Last week a debate was held in the Scottish Parliament on failures within the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), after Steven Bonnar MSP brought a motion to Parliament on behalf of his constituent, Gerry McMonagle. McMonagle had featured in a BBC Panorama documentary into failures within the UK CMS.

Our position on CMS is clear: the best interests of the child are the paramount consideration in all decisions affecting children following parental separation, and the UK’s CMS policy should reflect this.

Reform should ensure that financial arrangements support children’s welfare, recognise both parents’ contributions and encourage cooperation after separation. Our child maintenance principles set out the importance of a fair, transparent system that reflects children’s lives across two households.

Watch the contributions below

Steven Bonnar MSP cited Shared Parenting Scotland’s 2014 submission to the Smith Commission, which argued for devolving child support and bringing it closer to family law. He also described constituent Gerry’s prolonged struggle over inaccurate records, highlighting the financial and emotional consequences of administrative errors.

Dawn Black MSP described “nesting” in the Netherlands, where her children stayed in the family home while parents moved between residences. She set out clearly the shared parenting foundation on which policy for parenting after separation should be viewed.

Carol Mochan MSP urged cross-party cooperation and highlighted UK plans to replace Direct Pay with a strengthened Collect and Pay service.

Claire Haughey MSP highlighted unpaid maintenance, child poverty and poor coordination between UK agencies, calling for stronger enforcement and accountability.

Siobhian Brown MSP — Scottish Government response

The minister said there are currently no plans for a Scottish child maintenance service, but future devolution merits consideration. She outlined funding for specialist advice and promised continued engagement with the UK Government.