CBC Solicitors Blog, Rutherglen & Glasgow

Scotland's Registrar General, George MacKenzie, has published his annual report for 2011, giving data on key demographic trends across Scotland.

The data shows that the estimated population of Scotland on 30th June 2011 was 5,254,800 (based on the 2001 census), the highest ever.

The age of the population of Scotland was as follows:

The think tank, Policy Exchange, has published a report calling for fathers who no longer live with their partners and are on benefits to be made to work if they refuse to take financial responsibility for their children.

The report, 'Father Figures' urges the Government to fast track these individuals on to work experience schemes to try and get them back into the labour market. Men who refuse to participate should have their benefits removed.

The report also recommends that child maintenance payments remain in place for each child regardless if the parent goes on to have more children with new partners. This should encourage people not to have children they cannot afford to look after. A recent piece of research by Policy Exchange shows that two thirds (66%) of the public support capping benefits at three children

Peter Saunders, author of the report, “Most fathers want to do all they can to help and support their children, even when they find themselves unemployed. But a minority persistently evade their responsibilities. This is unfair on their children, their former partners, other fathers who are doing the right thing, and taxpayers, who have to pick up the tab.”

To mark Mother's Day in America, the US Census Bureau published a series of facts about mothers.

The facts show that:

Coram Children’s Legal Centre (CCLC) has criticised the government's proposal to charge single parents to use the services of the Child Support Agency (CSA).

According to the government, the changes are intended to encourage separated couples to mediate more between themselves to reach mutual agreements regarding maintenance payments without resorting to Government services.

Under the proposed new scheme, single resident parents would be charged a £100 fee (£50 to those on benefits) to use the CSA to force their ex-partners to pay maintenance for their children. In addition, up 12% will also be deducted from the money received, for the CSA’s administrative charges.

According to the CCLC:

On 1st February, the House of Commons voted to overturn the Lords amendment to the Welfare Reform Bill which was intended to prevent single parents being charged for child maintenance services, where they have no alternative but to use the statutory system to get financial support from the other parent for their child.

This is despite the fact that this amendment was overwhelmingly supported by the House of Lords, with 270 votes in favour of the amendment and just 128 against.

During the debate DWP Minister Maria Miller announced that the government would set the upfront application fee - payable by parents with care to access the Child Support Agency - at £20 for all applicants.

Gingerbread’s Chief Executive Fiona Weir commented:

"It is a small comfort to single parents that the application fee will be set at the lower amount of £20 - but the fact that single parents will still lose up to 12% of all payments collected by the CSA and intended for their children will be a bitter pill to swallow".