§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what special training in guidance and counselling women who refuse to name the father of their child is being offered to adjudication staff of the Child Support Agency.
§ Mr. BurtThe administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Mrs. Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from R. Hepplewhite to Mr. Jim Cousins dated 15 July 1993:
As Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what special training in guidance and counselling women who refuse to name the father of their child is being offered to adjudication staff of the Child Support Agency.
All Agency staff involved in interviewing parents with care of children in connection with arranging maintenance receive extensive training in sensitive interviewing. That training, developed and delivered in conjunction with RELATE, draws upon RELATE's considerable counselling experience and is designed to ensure that staff have the skills needed to deal appropriately with clients who may be anxious and concerned.
In addition, parents invited for interview receive a detailed statement—drawn up jointly with the National Council for One Parent Families—setting out their rights at the interview and explaining what subsequent action may be taken.
Interviewing staff are not involved in the adjudication process. Child Support Officers at the Agency's regional centres decide on applications for child support maintenance; and decisions which may involve reduction in benefit are reserved for senior nominated officers at the regional centres. Those decisions carry a right of appeal to an independent tribunal.
193WI hope you will find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women have been asked to name an absent father at the Newcastle benefit offices; how many have refused; and how many have been recalled for subsequent interviews.
§ Mr. BurtThe administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Mrs. Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from R. Hepplewhite to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 19 July 1993:
As Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many women have been asked to name an absent father at the Newcastle benefit offices, how many have refused and how many have been called for subsequent interviews.
All maintenance application forms (MAFs) issued to parents with care who approach the Agency ask for the name of the absent parent and the great on the form. There are three CSA local offices in the Newcastle area but we do not hold separate information on the number of MAFs issued locally. A total of 49 parents with care of children were interviewed in the Newcastle area in connection with their Child Support maintenance applications during the period 5 April 9 13 July 1993. Only one parent declined without good cause to
Pensioner Income results 1979–1990|91 Table 1: The average incomes of pensioner units by source, 1979 to 1990–91 (a) pensioner couples Income source Average income (£ per week, January 1991 prices) Growth since 1979 1979 1990 1990–91 1990 1990–91 Earnings 24.20 17.90 20.00 -26 -17 Benefit income 81.20 92.70 94.40 14 14 Investment income 16.20 41.90 45.10 159 179 Occupational pension 30.20 48.90 54.40 62 80 Other income 0.80 0.70 0.90 -9 19 Total gross income 152.50 202.10 214.80 33 41 Deductions 22.00 33.00 33.60 50 53 Total net income1 130.50 169.20 181.20 30 39 Total net income (after housing costs)2 111.60 159.60 170.90 43 53 1 Median net income, at 1991 prices, was £106.50 in 1979, £127.90 in 1989, £133.50 in 1990 and £138.60 in 1990–91. 2 Median net income after housing costs, at 1991 prices, was £89.40 in 1979, £115.50 in 1989, £124.20 in 1990 and £123.20 in 1990–91. 194W
(b) Single pensioners Income source Average income (£ per week, January 1991 prices) Growth since 1979 1979 1990 1990–91 1990 1990–91 Earnings 5.50 3.80 5.40 -31 -1 Benefit income 53.70 61.50 62.30 15 16 Investment income 8.60 21.20 21.60 147 151 Occupational pension 9.40 19.50 20.20 108 115 Other income 0.50 1.00 0.80 90 50 Total gross income 77.70 107.10 110.20 38 42 Deductions 9.50 15.60 15.40 64 61 Total net income1 68.10 91.50 94.80 34 39 Total net income (after housing costs2 55.40 79.60 82.50 44 49 1 Median net income, at 1991 prices, was £61.80 in 1979, £72.30 in 1989, £73.70 in 1990 and £75.20 in 1990–91. 2 Median net income after housing costs, at 1991 prices, was £47.60 in 1979, £51.90 in 1989, £54.90 in 1990 and £54.40 in 1990–91. co-operate with the Agency in arranging maintenance. None of the parents concerned have been recalled for subsequent interviews.
Interviews are not a routine part of the process of arranging child maintenance and most of the Agency's clients choose to deal with us by post and by telephone without the need for face-to-face contact. However, where necessary, perhaps because a client is unable to complete the Maintenance Assessment Form or is reluctant to do so, arrangements will be made to discuss matters with them at their local office or at their home.
I wish to stress how carefully we consider such cases and hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.