§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the proportion of child support cases involving absent parents who are self-employed for which a maintenance assessment is(a) calculated and (b) paid regularly for at least three months;
(2) what is the proportion of child support cases involving absent parents who are paying income tax under 73W PAYE for which a maintenance assessment is (a) calculated and (b) paid regularly for at least three months.
§ Mr. BurtThere is no business need for the CSA to collect such specific information on the number of absent parents who are self-employed or paying income tax under PAYE, and those details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the rules under which the Child Support Agency operates in respect of employees of that agency representing their own partners at tribunal hearings, where the former spouse of the partner is seeking redress under the appeal process; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BurtThe administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. member.
Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. David Blunkett, dated 21 November 1994:
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency's rules about members of staff representing their own partners at tribunal hearings.Under the terms of their employment, all employees of the Agency are bound to comply with the Department of Social Security Staff Rules. Under these rules, employees are required to obtain permission from a member of senior management before they can represent a person in the course of an appeal at a tribunal hearing or application concerning any matter for which the Department is responsible. Permission would be granted only where the representation would not be open to misunderstanding on the part of the public and there is no conflict of interests within the Agency.