Absent fathers who fail to pay towards their children's upbringing could have their passports and driving licences summarily seized by bureaucrats.
Child maintenance officials will be able to stop 'deadbeat dads' from going on holidays and business trips abroad or using their cars.
It represents the first time civil servants and Government agencies will be able to bypass the normal legal process in this way.
At present, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission must apply to the courts to have a negligent father's driving licence or passport cancelled.
But under legislation being unveiled by Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell tomorrow, civil servants will be able to sign the orders themselves.
Critics - already alarmed by a series of Big Brother measures from the Government - were angered last night by the introduction of the so-called 'administrative-justice plans'.
Millions of pounds in maintenance was collected after similar schemes were imposed in the U.S. and Australia.
DailyMail
