HC Deb 23 March 1998 vol 309 cc57-8W
23. Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she will publish her proposals for changes in the CSA procedures. [34066]

Mr. Field

We are determined to ensure that the Child Support Agency provides an effective and efficient service to all its clients throughout the child support assessment process. We are looking closely at all aspects of the child support system and we expect to bring forward a consultation paper on our proposals by the Summer.

27. Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps she is taking to ensure that the Child Support Agency makes itself more accessible to the public. [34070]

Mr. Field

We expect the Child Support Agency to provide an effective and efficient service to all its clients. The Agency is currently reorganising its resources so that back room processing work which does not require face-to-face contact with the public is done in its larger centres. This will leave remaining local staff to focus their attentions more effectively on essential face-to-face contacts. From next month lone mothers claiming Income Support will be personally assisted in completing the maintenance application form by Benefits Agency staff.

For customers with general inquiries, more resources are to be allocated to the Agency's National Inquiry Line from next month. In the future the Agency will increasingly use the telephone to contact customers at the earliest stage at each point in the assessment process.

Mr. Pond

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the Government's plans to make the operation of the Child Support Agency fairer and more effective. [34057]

Mr. Field

We expect the Child Support Agency to provide a consistent, fair and effective service to all its clients. We are looking in detail at all aspects of the child support scheme to see where improvements can be made. We aim to bring forward a consultation document with our proposals by the Summer.