An MLC who has been championing the rights of unmarried fathers says he is incensed over new plans to charge for registering parental responsibility.
Juan Turner welcomed the decision by Treasury Minister Eddie Teare to withdraw the Court Fees Order that went before last week’s Tynwald sitting.
Mr Teare withdrew the order after Tynwald members raised concerns about increases in fees for Small Claims Court claims.
But Mr Turner says what has really incensed him is that the General Registry has now decided to introduce a new charge for registering parental responsibility.
A parental responsibility agreement is a legal document in which a child’s mother and father agree that the father or step parent has parental responsibility for the child.
Mr Turner said: ‘To charge £25 for two parents to register their child’s rights is an utter disgrace, particularly when we are trying to encourage separated parents to be fully responsible and take an active part in the upbringing of their child.
‘It is the child’s right and the General Registry should be utterly ashamed of themselves for introducing this charge.
‘I do not accept the argument they are recovering costs of providing the service as taxes are paid centrally for government to provide services. If we are moving to this model then you would abolish tax altogether and people would simply pay for what they wish to access – but that is a flawed concept and wouldn’t work.
‘I will be requesting the new parental responsibility charge is also dropped from this or I will be voting against the Fees Order when it comes back.’
Mr Turner’s private member’s bill give equal parental responsibilities to fathers of children even when they are not married to the child’s mother has now received Royal Assent. The appointed day order is due to be laid before Tynwald next month.
The MLC said he will be writing to Treasury to ask they reconsider a fixed fee for small claims.