HC Deb 18 December 1995 vol 268 cc891-4W
Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Child Support Agency cases have been referred to the independent tribunal service since April 1993; and if he will list for each month(a) the number of appeals against assessments by absent parents, (b) the number of appeals against assessments by persons with care and (c) the number of appeals against reduced benefit directives. [4171]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.

Dudley Good cause accepted Absent parent named Good cause not accepted Reduced benefit direction implemented Investigations completed
April 335 63 580 311 978
May 503 98 617 306 1,218
June 450 243 820 389 1,513
July 493 354 548 265 1,395
August 576 371 749 531 1,696
September 541 370 599 464 1,510
Total 2,898 1,499 3,913 1,649 8,310

Hastings Good cause accepted Absent parent named Good cause not accepted Reduced benefit direction implemented Investigations completed
April 321 n/a 522 721 843
May 460 111 790 785 1,361
June 469 222 723 631 1,414
July 544 219 679 466 1,442
August 472 207 687 361 1,366
September 495 273 582 532 1,350
Total 2,761 1,032 3,983 1,990 7,776

Falkirk Good cause accepted Absent parent named Good cause not accepted Reduced benefit direction implemented Investigations completed
April 369 94 471 183 934
May 534 161 833 335 1,528

Letter from Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 14 December 1995:

I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about appeals against assessments.Between April 1993 and September 1995, 11,862 appeals have been received by the Independent Tribunal Service (ITS). ITS do not collect the more detailed information you requested. However. we estimate that of the appeals ITS subsequently sent to the Agency for completion of a submission to the Tribunal, around 70 per cent were made by absent parents and 30 per cent by parents with care. Of those made by parents with care 9 per cent were made against reduced benefit directions.I hope this is helpful.
Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the monthly breakdown of requirement to co-operate decisions as set out in his answers of 22 November,Official Report, column 232, and 26 October, Official Report, column 805 for each month since April 1995 for each Child Support Agency centre. [4195]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 14 December 1995:

I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency requirement to co-operate decisions.You asked for an update of the monthly breakdown of requirement to co-operate decisions, as set out in Answers of 22 November, Official Report 232, and 26 October, Official Report. column 805 for each Child Support Agency Centre for 1995–96. This information is shown in the tables attached,.I hope this is helpful.

Falkirk Good cause accepted Absent parent named Good cause not accepted Reduced benefit direction implemented Investigations completed
June 626 345 944 242 1,915
July 589 331 645 219 1,565
August 642 408 939 276 1,989
September 633 448 862 306 1,943
Total 3,393 1,787 4,694 1,043 9,874

Plymouth Good cause accepted Absent parent named Good cause not accepted Reduced benefit direction implemented Investigations completed
April 340 100 452 276 892
May 467 112 617 458 1,196
June 508 216 684 389 1,408
July 494 294 680 392 1,468
August 438 259 575 373 1,272
September 508 267 490 274 1,265
Total 2,755 1,248 3,498 1,428 7,501

Birkenhead Good cause accepted Absent parent named Good cause not accepted Reduced benefit direction implemented Investigation completed
April 389 96 470 510 955
May 556 185 615 511 1,356
June 592 287 713 445 1,592
July 625 361 786 278 1,772
August 582 334 637 430 1,553
September 678 428 686 455 1,792
Total 3,422 1,691 3,907 1,608 9,020

Belfast Good cause accepted Absent parent named Good cause not accepted Reduced benefit direction implemented Investigation completed
April 418 137 540 260 1,095
May 599 195 740 473 1,534
June 488 271 689 250 1,448
July 544 427 680 393 1,651
August 631 425 744 392 1,800
September 668 526 805 336 1,999
Total 3,348 1,981 4,198 1,371 9,527

Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases a deduction from earnings order has been made when at the time of its making (a) a review under section 18 of the Child Support Act 1991 had been requested and not determined and (b) an appeal to a child support appeal tribunal was pending. [4687]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

The administration of the Child Supoort Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 14 December 1995:

I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about deduction from earning orders.The Agency does not keep information on the number of deductions from earnings orders (DEOs) issued before a section 18 (second tier) review (STR) request has been determined, or an appeal heard by a tribunal. There is no business requirement for the Agency to collect information on the number of cases affected.