§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations he has received on the operation of the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BurtBetween April 1993 and November 1993 the Department of Social Security headquarters and the Child Support Agency headquarters received in the region of 6,400 written representations covering a range of views about child support policy and Child Support Agency operations.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will instruct the Child Support Agency to take into account, when deciding maintenance payments, the costs of an absent parent's contact with their child; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BurtThe assessment formula used by the Child Support Agency allows for essential expenses. To make allowances for specific items of expenditure would be to give these costs precedence over a child's basic maintenance. Most absent parents will retain between 70 per cent. and 85 per cent. of their net income after paying maintenance.
§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give a breakdown of the representations received regarding the operation of the Child Support Agency on the basis of(a) sex of the applicant and (b) region; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Burt[pursuant to his reply, 30 November, col. 429]: The information given was incorrect. The Department received in the region of 6,400 written representations about child support, and not 3,000 as previously stated.