HC Deb 13 February 2004 vol 418 cc308-9W
Mr. Swire

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on reform of the Child Support Agency. [155348]

Mr. Pond

I refer the hon. Member to the written statement from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 12 February 2004,Official Report, columns 80–82WS.

Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when existing Child Support Agency cases assessed under the old rules will be transferred to the new assessment system. [155910]

Mr. Pond

I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 18 December 2003,Official Report, column 1092W.

Mr. Weir

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people whose cases are in the hands of the Child Support Agency in(a) Angus constituency and (b) Scotland are due arrears of child maintenance; and how many have been due arrears for more than three months; [152544]

(2) what the (a) average and (b) longest time taken by the Child Support Agency has been to collect arrears due to persons whose cases are in the hands of the Agency in (i) the Angus constituency and (ii) Scotland; [152545]

(3) what amounts of arrears are due to persons in (a) the Angus constituency and (b) Scotland whose cases are in the hands of the Child Support Agency; [152546]

(4) what the total amount is owed to people whose cases are in the hands of the Child Support Agency in (a) Angus and (b) Scotland of arrears in child maintenance. [152547]

Mr. Pond

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Michael Weir, dated 23 February 2004:

In reply to your recent Parliamentary questions about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

You asked the following questions: how many people whose cases are in the hands of the Child Support Agency in (a) Angus constituency and (b) Scotland are due arrears of child maintenance; and how many have been due arrears for more than three months. what the (a) average and (b) longest time taken by the Child Support Agency has been to collect arrears due to persons whose cases are in the hands of the Agency in (i) the Angus constituency and (ii) Scotland. what amounts of arrears are due to persons in (a) the Angus constituency and (b) Scotland whose cases are in the hands of the Child Support Agency. what the total amount is owed to people whose cases are in the hands of the Child Support. Agency in (a) Angus and (b) Scotland of arrears in child maintenance.

The specific information that you seek is not available. However, I can tell you that there are around 600 cases within the Angus Parliamentary constituency where arrears are due and have been for more than three months. In comparison Scotland has nearly 26,000 cases where arrears have been outstanding for more than three months.