§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received concerning his restructuring plans for the Contributions Agency; and if he will make a statement. [32690]
§ Mr. HealdThe administration of the Contributions Agency is a matter for Mrs. Faith Boardman, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
843WLetter from Mrs. Faith Boardman to Ms Joan Walley, dated 13 July 1995:
As Chief Executive of the Contributions Agency, I have responsibility for answering questions about operational matters relating to the Agency and the National Insurance (NI) scheme. I have been asked to reply to your questions about representations that have been received concerning the restructuring plans for the Agency.Current research has shown that there is a need to match more closely Contributions Agency Field outlets to customer requirements while still maintaining nationwide cover for administration of the NI scheme and the proposed restructuring addresses this issue.Representations about the restructuring have been made by the relevant Civil Service Trade Unions and some enquiries about the changes have been made by the business community. The proposed changes take account of research among customers which shows, in general, that they prefer to make contact by telephone or correspondence. The Agency is engaged in a consultation process with staff to consider their views on the proposed future network.I hope that my reply proves helpful. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what further steps he is taking to ensure that his Department is able to meet its obligations as stipulated by the National Audit Office in relation to the collection and administration of national insurance contributions; and if he will make a statement; [33318]
(2) how many staff of the Contributions Agency are involved in (a) the administration and (b) the collection of national insurance contributions; if he will provide a breakdown by (i) region and (ii) Contributions Agency office; and if he will make a statement; [33319]
(3) what recent meetings have been held with organisations concerning the planning and restructuring exercise, business unit analysis, by the Contributions Agency; and if he will make a statement on the names of those in attendance, the date of each meeting and the matters discussed; [33320]
(4) what recent representations he has received on the planning and restructuring exercise, business unit analysis, by the Contributions Agency, what is the time scale envisaged for the completion of the exercise; and if he will make a statement; [33321]
(5) what is the number of inspectors employed in the Contributions Agency who are involved in undertaking regular visits to (a) employers and (b) the self-employed; and if he will provide a breakdown by (i) region and (ii) Contributions Agency office; [33322]
(6) if he will provide a breakdown of the offices of the Contributions Agency indicating the numbers employed at each office; and if he will make a statement. [33323]
§ Mr. HealdThe administration of the Contributions Agency is a matter for Mrs. Faith Boardman, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mrs. Faith Boardman to Mrs. Margaret Ewing, dated 13 July 1995:
As Chief Executive of the Contributions Agency, I have responsibility for answering questions about operational matters relating to the Agency and the National Insurance (NI) scheme. I have been asked to reply to your questions about the numbers of staff employed in different areas and their roles within the Agency, the arrangements concerning the current restructuring exercise and the steps that are being taken to meet obligations as stipulated by 844W the National Audit Office. In view of the nature of the questions I have combined the responses.Unfortunately the information is not available exactly in the form that you have requested.The Contributions Agency is responsible for ensuring compliance with the law on National Insurance matters. In 1991 the Agency began to move towards a Field Operations network of some 184 Field Offices supported by 90 Inspector outstations. Current research has shown that there is a need to match more closely Contributions Agency outlets to customer requirements while still maintaining nationwide cover for the administration of the NI scheme. Information obtained about density of businesses, density of population and locations of the self employed, has been incorporated into the design of a new network to consist of around 100–115 locations, comprising 70–75 Field Offices and 30–40 Inspector outstations, which will meet National Audit Office requirements. It is planned that most of the changes will be in place within the next two to three years.Representations about the restructuring have been made by the relevant Civil Service Trade Unions and some enquiries about the changes have been made by the business community. The proposed changes take account of research among customers which shows, in general, that they prefer to make contact by telephone or correspondence. The Agency is engaged in a consultation process with staff and Trade Unions to consider their views on the proposed future network.Meetings whose Agendas have included the restructuring plans have taken place between Field Operations management and representatives of the Trade Unions on the following dates: 4 and 5 April, 2, 3 and 12 May, 12 June and 5 July 1995. Representation at these meetings involved Field senior management including the Director of Field Operations and the Business Change Manager. Trade Union representatives were from the Civil and Public Services Association and the National Union of Civil and Public Servants. Meetings have also been held at local levels between management and staff, but details of these are not kept centrally.There are currently 8853 staff in post the Agency. It is not possible to differentiate between staff who are employed on purely administrative work as opposed to those who are involved in the actual collection of National Insurance Contributions.The operational area in regular face-to-face contact with our customers is Field Operations, whose NI inspectors visit employers and self-employed contributors both to monitor their compliance with NI law and in an educational role. At 1 June 1995 there were 3440 staff in post in Field Operations. I regret that at this staff I am unable to supply you with up-to-date figures for the number of staff employed at each location. However, these figures are about to be collated and I will write to you again when they are available. At 31 March 1995 1780 staff held Inspectors' Warrants. Details of the number of inspectors attached to each location are not kept, but the table in Annex 1 shows the number of Warrant holders in each of the Agency's Divisions.I regret that I have been unable to answer the precise questions that you have raised, but I hope that my reply proves helpful. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
845W
Annex 1: Number of Inspectors Warrants in issue—year end March 1995 Number of Warrants Northern sector Caledonia 70 East and West Yorkshire 66 Edinburgh 61 North Lancashire and Cumbria 48 Northumberland, Durham and Teeside 51 South Yorkshire and Humberside 59 Total 355 Midland sector Birmingham 61 Manchester 47
Annex 1: Number of Inspectors Warrants in issue—year end March 1995 Number of Warrants Mersey side 50 Midlands/North West 60 Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire/Derbyshire 52 South Lancashire and Cheshire 61 Total 331 Eastern sector Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire 57 East Anglia 58 Essex 78 Hertfordshire 90 Leicester and North Hampshire 55 North Circular 72 Total 410 South Eastern Sector Capital 68 Central 68 Kent 46 Special Compliance Unit (Bromley) 6 South Bank 33 South Coast 45 Surrey 50 Total 316 South Western Sector Devon and Cornwall 53 Hants 45 Severn Estuary 56 South Circular 48 Thames Valley 48 Wales 58 Wessex 60 Total 368