HC Deb 20 February 1996 vol 272 cc168-9
11. Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases the CSA has stopped maintenance orders for children made by the courts in the course of administering the provisions of the Child Support Act 1991. [14361]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

The agency will normally become involved in cases with court orders only when a relevant benefit is involved. The agency has no business need to record the number of such cases.

Mr. Griffiths

May I draw the Minister's attention—as I already have—to the case of a constituent of mine? The Child Support Agency went to court last May, and asked for her £30-a-week payment under a court order to cease. She is still not receiving any money under the child support arrangements. Thankfully, her former husband has started to make the payments voluntarily, but how many other mothers may have had their court orders stopped by the CSA, and may still be receiving no child support nine months later?

Mr. Mitchell

I am aware of the hon. Gentleman's concern about that case, but, like him, I understand that the position has now improved.

The real issue is the amount of enforcement that takes place, and the effectiveness of that enforcement. The system is clearly becoming better, but it must be seen to be fair. The hon. Gentleman will be interested to learn that 5,000 deduction of earnings orders were issued last month, and that 2,500 liability orders have been issued in the past year. That is partly why the flow of money to mothers is increasing; we are determined that it should continue to do.

Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman

Will my hon. Friend confirm that the Child Support Agency has tracked down no fewer than 117,000 feckless fathers who have shoved off without paying for their children? Does he agree that men who father children should expect to pay the costs of bringing them up, rather than leaving it to other families, who have their own responsibilities?

Mr. Mitchell

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The CSA has traced 120,000 absent parents; moreover, there has been a steep increase in its ability to establish paternity. That is very important to parents with care who are not receiving the maintenance to which they are entitled. My hon. Friend will also have noted that, in some 77 per cent. of cases taken on by the agency, the mother is receiving no maintenance at all. We are determined to ensure that the agency's work continues in the way described by my hon. Friend.

Ms Eagle

No one will object to the idea that fathers have a duty to pay for their children, but does the Minister agree that it is just not good enough to set a target of only 75 per cent. accuracy? That means that one in four of the agency's assessments are plain wrong.

Mr. Mitchell

The hon. Lady obviously did not listen to the earlier answer in which we spoke of the challenging increase in targets. The agency is not only increasing the accuracy of its maintenance assessments to within 1p—that is vital—but simplifying the maintenance formula to speed up the process of arriving at an agreed assessment, and to make it more accurate.