HC Deb 06 December 1993 vol 234 cc107-9W
13. Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the work of the Child Support Agency since its operation began; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Burt

Ministers keep the operations of the Child Support Agency under regular review, as they do the operations of other next steps agencies. The Child Support Agency is still very new, but it has made a determined start on its important task of ensuring that more children receive more maintenance, more reliably.

15. Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last met the chief executive of the Child Support Agency to discuss its assessment of absent parents already making contributions towards the upkeep of their children.

Mr. Burt

I and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State regularly meet the chief executive of the Child Support Agency to discuss a wide range of operational matters. The most recent of these meetings was on 16 November.

Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations he has received from hon. Members regarding the working of the Child Support Agency.

Mr. Burt

Since the agency began its operations in April 1993, this Department has received in the region of 3,700 representations from hon. Members, covering a range of views.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress is being made currently with the review of the operation of the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Burt

The Child Support Agency was set up to secure more maintenance, more reliably, for more children and that is what it is doing. We believe that the basic principles of the scheme stand up to scrutiny and are supported by the vast majority of people in this country. We have been looking very carefully at the comments and concerns being raised about the Child Support Agency and testing them against the basic structure and principles which are in place and which were endorsed by Members from all parties. If, after examination, we think we can make the scheme better still, we will do so.

Mr. Gunnell

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what statutory basis the Child Support Agency reveals to a former partner full financial details of the person he or she has divorced together with those of that person's second partner.

Mr. Burt

Regulation 10 of the Child Support (Maintenance Assessment Procedure) Regulations 1992 provides for a maintenance assessment notification, which is sent both to the parent with care and the absent parent, to show the details of protected income calculations which include the income of an absent parent's new partner. The intention is that sufficient information should be provided to both the parent with care and the absent parent to enable them to exercise their statutory right to seek a review or to appeal.

Mr. William O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes he plans to the way in which the Child Support Agency is administering the collection of child maintenance; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Burt

The Child Support Agency has a range of collection and enforcement powers to ensure that it is able to meet its objective of obtaining maintenance for children. The Government have no plans to change these powers, though they keep all aspects of the Child Support Agency under review.

Mrs. Bridget Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether clean-break settlements are to be taken into account in the formula used by the Child Support Agency for assessing maintenance payments from absent parents; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lilley

The maintenance assessment formula already reflects the practical consequences of a capital or property transfer, commonly referred to as a clean break settlement between spouses, by allowing for the current housing costs of the absent parent and taking account of the parent with care's income including that from capital.

28. Mr. Mudie

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to amend the Child Support Act 1991.

Mr. Burt

The Child Support Act introduced a new way of assessing maintenance for children and ensuring that this would be paid. It reflects the Government's view that both parents are responsible for supporting their children where they are able to do so, even if their own relationship has broken down. The Government have no plans to amend the Act.

29. Mr. Madel

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy towards replying to letters from hon. Members about child support where the Member has raised a matter of Government policy; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Burt

Letters to Ministers from hon. Members, about child support policy will receive a ministerial reply. Letters about operational matters or individual assessments will, in general, be passed to the chief executive of the Child Support Agency unless substantive policy issues have also been raised.

20. Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many absent parents who were already paying child support under previously agreed arrangements are appealing against the additional payments assessed by the Child Support Agency.

Mr. Burt

The Child Support Agency does not currently collect information in the form requested. To the end of October, under 1 per cent. of assessments made had resulted in appeals.