§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were(a) the start-up costs, (b) the running costs and (c) the moneys recovered from absent parents in the first year of the Child Support Agency; and what was the target sum for (c).
§ Mr. ScottThe 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. Frank Field, dated 28 March 1994:
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the costs of the Child Support Agency and the money recovered by the Agency.The total cost of setting up the Agency was around £146 million. This figure includes the 1992–93 cost of liable relative work, transferred in April 1992 from the Benefits Agency to the Child Support Unit, as the shadow Agency was known before its launch in April 1993. The running costs for the Agency in 1993–94 are estimated at £97.8 million.The Agency was set a target to recover £530 million in benefit savings in the financial year 1993–94. To 31 January 1994, £250 million had been recorded as recovered. This does not represent the total amount of savings during the period as some will be scored restrospectively.I hope this is helpful.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the operation of the Child Support Agency.
§ Mr. LilleyThe Child Support Agency was introduced to ensure that parents meet their responsibility for the financial maintenance of their children where they can afford to do so. It replaced an inconsistent, often unreliable system which resulted in a drastic decline in maintenance payments over the past decade.
728WThere is already the right of appeal to an independent tribunal against a decision of a child support officer on the basis of an incorrect application of the formula.