HC Deb 29 April 1994 vol 242 cc352-3W
Mr. Mudie

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total salary of the CSA chief executive in 1993–94; which part of that figure relates to performance; and what is the maximum payment possible under the performance payment part of the salary agreement.

Mr. Burt

The current basic salary of the Child Support Agency chief executive is £48,520 plus London weighting of £1,776. Details of the total remuneration, including any performance bonus, will appear in the agency's annual report for 1993–94. However it is not the policy of the Department to give details of chief executive performance pay arrangements.

Mr. Dewar

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest estimate of the total sum collected by the Child Support Agency in maintenance payments in the first year of operation; and of this, what sum went to parents with care and their children and how much to the Treasury via reduced benefit payments.

Mr. Burt

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 28 April 1994: I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the latest estimate of the total sum collected by the Child Support Agency in maintenance payments in the first year of the Agency's operations. To the end of February 1994, £186 million had been collected. This includes £155 million paid direct from absent parents to parents with care, which has offset benefit spending, and £31 million paid through the Agency's collection service. Of the latter figure, £1.8 million has been passed on to parents with care, and £24.4 million has offset benefit spending. The balance remained in the Agency's account awaiting allocation. I hope this reply is helpful.

Mr. Dewar

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) in how many cases in which the absent parent had not been paying maintenance at the time the inquiry form was issued by the Child Support Agency a maintenance assessment had been finalised at the latest date for which figures are available; and what percentage that is of the total number of cases where the absent parent was not paying maintenance when the inquiry form was issued;

(2) in how many cases where an inquiry form has been issued by the Child Support Agency to an absent parent the parent concerned was not paying maintenance on a regular basis at the time the form was issued; and what percentage that represents of all cases in which an inquiry form has been issued at the latest date for which figures are available.

Mr. Burt

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 28 April 1994: I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the total number of maintenance payments made to the Child Support Agency. At 28 February 1994, 420,600 absent parents had been issued with maintenance enquiry forms and 188,600 maintenance assessments had been completed. Although the Agency does not keep detailed figures on the proportion of these cases in which maintenance was not already being paid, we estimate that some 60 per cent. of cases taken on during this period were cases where maintenance was not previously in payment.