Members enclosing a summary of the White Paper, and I have placed copies in the Vote Office. The reforms that I will set out today are driven by principle. We are putting children first, and we are making sure that the new system is fair on fathers who want to support their children, and tough on those who will not. Our reforms mark a new contract for child support, based on the right of a child to the care and support of its parents, and on the responsibility of parents to provide it. The responsibility for bringing up children lies squarely with both parents, and that responsibility endures whether they live together or apart.
All children have the right to a decent start in life.
The Government are already doing a great deal to help. We are increasing child benefit by a record amount and providing more help for low-paid families through the new working families tax credit, tax changes and the national minimum wage. We are committed to ending the scandal of child poverty in a generation. We are determined to make sure that children receive all the help that they need, which is why we are introducing a new system of child support that is simple, effective and fair. Today, many children miss out on the support that they should receive from both parents.