HC Deb 30 March 1994 vol 240 cc777-8W
Mr. Spellar

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements are made for repaying moneys to absent parents who have been wrongly assessed by the Child Support Agency.

Mr. Scott

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. John Spellar, dated 28 March 1994: I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency's arrangements for repaying money to absent parents where the maintenance assessment has been revised. The Agency acts as an intermediary between two parties in the arrangement of child maintenance, and has no powers to recover monies which have been overpaid to the parent with care. However, provisions have been made in the Arrears, Interest and Adjustment of Maintenance Assessment Regulations (regulation 10) to adjust future payments of maintenance in order to correct an under or overpayment, where this can be done. The parent with care is protected from a period of total loss of income by restricting the amount by which future payments of maintenance may be adjusted in order to correct overpayment. These provisions are normally applied by the Child Support Officer at the maximum rate of 1½ times the difference between the old and new assessment. However, where an absent parent makes representations about the level of adjustment a lesser rate can be considered. I hope this reply is helpful.

Ms Gordon

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Bow and Poplar can expect an answer from the Child Support Agency in reply to her letter to the Minister dated 14 December concerning the case of Mrs. W. A. Rex-Cain.

Mr. Burt

I understand that Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive of the Child Support Agency, replied to the hon. Member on 25 March 1994.

Mr. Dykes

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will launch an independent investigation into the handling by the Child Support Agency of Mrs. Terri West's application for child maintenance support.

Mr. Burt

There are no such plans. My hon. Friend will understand that although I am unable to comment on an individual case, I should stress that either party to a child maintenance assessment has the right to seek a review, and following the review to seek leave to appeal to an independent child support appeal tribunal.