§ Lord Simon of Glaisdaleasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the cost of setting up the Child Support Agency; and
What have been the annual running costs of the Child Support Agency since its establishment; and
What net savings to the Exchequer have accrued annually since the establishment of the Child Support Agency (i.e. net reductions in social services benefits payable in respect of parents with care, absent parents and all the children concerned less the annual cost of the Child Support Agency).
§ The Minister of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish)The total cost of setting up the agency was approximately £146 million. This figure includes the 1992–93 cost of work transferred from the Benefits Agency to the Child80WA Support Unit, the shadow Child Support Agency, in April 1992.
The annual accounts for the year ended 31 March 1994 were published on 28 November 1994. These included an expenditure statement prepared on an accruals basis and show that the net cost of operations during 1993–94 was £139 million. Similar accounts will be prepared for 1994–95 and published in the agency annual report.
During 1993–94 the agency achieved £418 million in benefit savings; a saving of £279 million net of the annual expenditure. Savings for 1994–95 will be published with the accounts in the annual report.