HC Deb 24 July 1996 vol 282 cc554-5W
Mr. Pawsey

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans there are to seek tenders for a replacement for me Child Support Agency computer. [36175]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

If it is decided to replace or upgrade the Child Support Agency computer system, a procurement exercise will be conducted in accordance with the EC directives which govern public sector procurement. This legislation ensures fair and open competition and results in the selection of the supplier whose bid offers best value for money. The Department cannot speculate as to the outcome of any procurement exercise.

Mr. Cash

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time taken by his Department to reply to letters from hon. Members on matters relating to the Child Support Agency; and how many complaints from hon. Members his Department has received in each of the months since the Child Support Agency started its operations in April 1993. [39740]

Mr. Mitchell

I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individual personal records the Child Support Agency computer system was designed to accommodate. [39689]

Mr. Mitchell

The 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 Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 24 July 1996: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency Computer System. The database structure of the main Child Support Computer System would enable it to hold just over 11.5 million records of individual people I hope this is helpful.

Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what data are required for the purposes of monitoring his targets for the Child Support Agency; and for how long it is required to be held. [39690]

Mr. Mitchell

The 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 Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 24 July 1996: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency data held for monitoring the targets he sets the Agency. The Child Support Agency's targets for 1996/97 are as follows:

  1. (1) Collection—A band of £380 million to £400 million of maintenance to be collected or arranged for direct payment from the absent parent to the parent with care in 1996/97.
  2. (2) Payments—95% of payments to the parent with care to be made within 10 working days of receipt from an absent parent.
  3. (3) Accuracy—To achieve a continuing improvement in accuracy so that in at least 85% of cases checked during March 1997 the cash value of the assessment will be correct.
  4. (4) Second Tier Reviews—Where a client is dissatisfied with a Child Support Officer's decision and requests a review, 55% to be cleared within 13 weeks; 80% to be cleared within 26 weeks; and no more than 15% to be older than 26 weeks as at 31 March 1997.
  5. (5) Maintenance Assessments—60% of new maintenance applications to be cleared within 26 weeks and as at 31 March 1997, no more than 10% of all maintenance applications received by the Agency to be over 52 weeks old.
In order to measure Agency performance and effectiveness, statistical and financial data is obtained from a wide range of sources. Collection of this information can be both clerical and from scans of the Child Support Computer System. The information is used not only to measure performance against the targets but also to manage the business effectively. Statistical and financial data is retained as long as there is a business need to do so and the periods involved vary considerably from say 18 months to many years. I am sorry I cannot be more precise but this is a very wide ranging question; nevertheless I hope this information is helpful to you.