Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland)

Disqualification from driving

16.—(1) After Article 36 of the Child Support Order there shall be inserted—

“Commitment to prison and disqualification from driving

36A.— (1) Where the Department has sought to recover an amount by virtue of Article 35 and that amount, or any portion of it, remains unpaid, the Department may apply to the court under this Article.

(2) An application under this Article is for whichever the court considers appropriate in all the circumstances of—

(a) the issue of a warrant committing the liable person to prison; or

(b) an order for him to be disqualified for holding or obtaining a driving licence.

(3) On any such application the court shall (in the presence of the liable person) inquire as to—

(a) whether he needs a driving licence to earn his living;

(b) his means; and

(c) whether there has been wilful refusal or culpable neglect on his part.

(4) The Department may make representations to the court as to whether the Department thinks it more appropriate to commit the liable person to prison or to disqualify him for holding or obtaining a driving licence; and the liable person may reply to those representations.

(5) In this Article and Article 37A, “driving licence” means a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under Part II of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.

(6) In this Article and Articles 37 and 37A, “the court” means a court of summary jurisdiction.”.

(2) In Article 37 of the Child Support Order (commitment to prison), paragraphs (1) and (2) shall cease to have effect.

(3) After Article 37 of the Child Support Order there shall be inserted—

“Disqualification from driving: further provision

37A.— (1) If, but only if, the court is of the opinion that there has been wilful refusal or culpable neglect on the part of the liable person, it may—

(a) order him to be disqualified, for such period specified in the order but not exceeding two years as it thinks fit, for holding or obtaining a driving licence (a “disqualification order”); or

(b) make a disqualification order but suspend its operation until such time and on such conditions (if any) as it thinks just.

(2) The court may not take action under both Article 37 and this Article.

(3) A disqualification order shall state the amount in respect of which it is made, which shall be the aggregate of—

(a) the amount in respect of which the liability order was made or so much of that amount as remains outstanding; and

(b) an amount (determined in accordance with regulations made by the Department) in respect of the costs of the application under Article 36A.

(4) A court which makes a disqualification order shall require the person to whom it relates to produce any driving licence held by him, and its counterpart (within the meaning of Part II of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981).

(5) On an application by the Department or the liable person, the court—

(a) may make an order substituting a shorter period of disqualification, or make an order revoking the disqualification order, if part of the amount referred to in paragraph (3) (the “amount due”) is paid to any person authorised to receive it; and

(b) shall make an order revoking the disqualification order if all of the amount due is so paid.

(6) The Department may make representations to the court as to the amount which should be paid before it would be appropriate to make an order revoking the disqualification order under paragraph (5)(a), and the liable person may reply to those representations.

(7) The Department may make a further application under Article 36A if the amount due has not been paid in full when the period of disqualification specified in the disqualification order expires.

(8) Where a court—

(a) makes a disqualification order;

(b) makes an order under paragraph (5); or

(c) allows an appeal against a disqualification order,

it shall send notice of that fact to the Department; and the notice shall contain such particulars and be sent in such manner and to such address as the Department may determine.

(9) Where a court makes a disqualification order, it shall also send the driving licence and its counterpart, on their being produced to the court, to the Department at such address as the Department may determine.

(10) Article 110 of the Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (application of sums found upon defaulter) shall apply in relation to a disqualification order under this Article in relation to a liable person as it applies in relation to the enforcement of a sum mentioned in paragraph (1) of that Article.

(11) The Department may by regulations make provision in relation to disqualification orders corresponding to the provision it may make under Article 37(11).”.

(4) In Article 180(3B) of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (NI 1) (enforcement powers of constable), after “required under” there shall be inserted “Article 37A of the Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 or”.

(5) In Article 29(2) of the Road Traffic Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (NI 10) (offence of failing to produce a licence), for the word “then” there shall be substituted “or if the holder of the licence does not produce it and its counterpart as required by Article 37A of the Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991, then,”.