§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is(a) the number of prisoners approached by the Child Support Agency with a view to assessing them for maintenance and (b) the number of prisoners 539W assessed by the Child Support Agency for maintenance since the launch of the Child Support Agency; and if he will provide the figures in both categories broken down on a month by month basis. [27999]
§ Mr. BurtThe administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 13 June 1995:
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about prisoners contacted and assessed by the Child Support Agency for child maintenance.The information you require is not available as the Agency does not collate separate information on absent parents (AP) while they are in prison.The Agency uses the same process for establishing a maintenance liability for APs who are in prison as for any other AP. Should an AP be committed to prison during the assessment process, or after the maintenance liability has been established, the Agency will take into account the change in circumstances in the normal way.