§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has plans to publish details of the targets of the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement. [21803]
§ Mr. MossThe Child Support Agency will publish its 1995–96 business plan today. Copies will be placed in the Library.
The targets that I have set for the Child Support Agency for 1995–96 are as follows:
—£6.15 million of maintenance to be collected, or arranged for direct payment from absent parents to parents with care in 1995–96.—90 per cent. of payments made to parents with care to be made in 10 working days of receipt from an absent parent.—To achieve a steady improvement in accuracy, so that in at least 75 per cent. of cases checked during March 1996 the cash value will be for the correct amount.—Where a client is dissatisfied with a Child Support Officer's decision and requests a review, 50 per cent. to be cleared within 13 weeks; 80 per cent. to be cleared within 26 weeks; and no more than 15 per cent. to be older than six months as at 31 March 1996.—60 per cent. of new maintenance applications to be cleared within 26 weeks and as at 31 March 1996 no maintenance applications received by the agency to be over 12 months old.—To manage the agency's resources so as to deliver its business plan within the gross budget allocation.As a new and evolving agency the 1994–95 targets did not cover the whole range of the agency's business and in the light of experience did not prove to be appropriate drivers of the business. The new targets take account of this and cover a wider range of activities. They will require the agency to improve performance in a number 706W of areas. In particular, this year's targets include measures of accuracy and of the time taken to provide services. This underlines the agency's focus on quality and client service in 1995–96.