HC Deb 15 February 1994 vol 237 cc691-2W
Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reasons the specific information requested about the Child Support Agency on 5 November,Official Report, column 580, is largely unavailable, with particular reference to a breakdown of applications by region and of assessments by applicant type.

Mr. Burt

I understand that the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost because information on the performance of the Child Support Agency comes from computer-generated figures summarising work at the agency's six computer centres on a monthly basis, supported by clerical counts.

Where requests are made for data not produced either by the computer, or by existing clerical counts, the cost of arranging for collection of the information must be considered. In the case of the chief executive's reply of 5 November 1993, which was subsequently amended in her reply dated 23 November, figures were not available on the number of child applicants in Scotland, nor in the breakdown of assessments by applicant type. To provide these figures would, in both cases, have necessitated the individual investigation of a large number of cases, either in an individual centre in the case of the numbers of child applicants in Scotland or in all six centres in the case of the breakdown of assessments by type.

Miss Lestor

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements have been made by the Child Support Agency to assess and collect maintenance on behalf of a parent who is resident in, and whose child or children is or are resident in, the United Kingdom from an absent parent who is resident abroad.

Mr. Burt

The jurisdiction of the Child Support Agency does not extend beyond the United Kingdom. The Lord Chancellor's Department administers reciprocal enforcement agreements with many foreign countries. These provisions allow for the enforcement of British court orders abroad and for the enforcement of foreign orders in Britain. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

Mr. Channon

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annual cost to public funds of the Child Support Agency.

Mr. Burt

The latest estimate of the cost of the Child Support Agency for 1993–94 is £117 million.

Mrs. Anne Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to extend the power of the Child Support Agency with regard to the division of any assets of divorcing partners after 1996.

Mr. Burt

We have no such plans. Division of assets will remain a matter for the courts.

Mr. Channon

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what saving of public money is expected to be achieved by the Child Support Agency in the first 12 months of its operation.

Mr. Burt

Benefit savings were originally estimated at £530 million. The actual amount will be lower, but it is not possible to provide an accurate revised figure, since the full impact of the recent policy changes is not yet known.