§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy for dealing with correspondence from right hon. and hon. Members regarding the Child Support Agency; what percentage of letters from right hon. and hon. Members he transferred for reply to the chief executive and other officials of the agency; what criteria he applies when deciding which letters are transferred and which warrant a ministerial reply; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BurtIn the nine months from September 1993 to May 1994, of a total of 6,894 letters from right hon. and hon. Members on child support matters, 24 per cent. were referred for reply to the chief executive of the Child Support Agency. The criteria for selection of such letters has not changed since the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 9 February at column365.
§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many letters he receives on average each month from right hon. and hon. Members relating to the operation of the Child Support Agency.
§ Mr. BurtThe number of letters received each month since September 1993 is in the table. The numbers have varied considerably from month to month.
Number September 1993 179 October 1993 534 November 1993 1,173 December 1993 846 January 1994 972 February 1994 1,072 March 1994 899 April 1994 692 May 1994 706 Total 6,894