HC Deb 20 January 1994 vol 235 cc794-5W
Mr. Morley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases the Child Support Agency is currently dealing with in(a) Scunthorpe and (b) South Humberside.

Mr. Burt

Information in the form requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I would, however, refer the hon. Member to the national report of the agency's performance, which is placed in the Library each month.

Mr. Spellar

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the staff of the Child Support Agency are on performance-related pay.

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 R. Hepplewhite to Mr. John Spellar, dated 19 January 1994:

I have been asked to reply to your Question to the Secretary of State about the number of staff in the Child Support Agency who receive performance related pay.

The Agency operates its performance related pay scheme within the terms of the new national pay arrangements agreed by the Treasury and the Civil Service Trades Unions. These new arrangements have created a stronger link between pay and performance by replacing automatic annual increments with performance related progression. The level of any individual's performance related progression is governed by the Agency's personal review system.

In this system, each individual is set a number of challenging work and personal objectives, tailored to meet each person's experience and ability. Performance related pay is awarded in recognition of the level of individual performance achieved, maintained over a number of years.

The Agency now employs 4,937 staff all of whom are eligible for consideration for an award of performance related pay based upon the agreed arrangements which are available for inspection in the Library.

I hope you will find this reply helpful.

Mr. Skinner

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the gross annual budget of the Child Support Agency.

Mr. Burt

The Child Support Agency's gross allocation for 1993–94 is £119.8 million.

Mr. Skinner

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many staff employed by the Child Support Agency are on performance-related pay.

Mr. Burt

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Warley, West (Mr. Spellar) by the chief executive of the Child Support Agency on 19 January.