§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the average amount of maintenance received by parents with dependent children claiming income support in each year since 1985 in constant prices. [4688]
§ Mr. Andrew MitchellThe information is not available.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how the Child Support Agency measures travelling distance between(a) Clydebank and Greenock and (b) other places where water crossings or journeys around peninsulas are involved. [6062]
§ Mr. MitchellFrom April 1995, the formula used to assess liability for child support maintenance has included an allowance in recognition of the costs of travelling to work where these costs are high. The allowance is broad-brush in nature and is based upon the straight-line distance between the parents' home and their normal place of employment. The allowance is designed to be straightforward to administer and, in the vast majority of cases, will be a reasonable reflection of the additional costs involved.
1117WIt is recognised, however, that basing the calculation on the straight-line distance may cause some inequities, especially where there are geographical obstructions between the two locations. It is with these cases specifically in mind that high travel-to-work costs may be cited as grounds for varying the formula calculation under the new departure direction scheme which is to be piloted from April next year.
§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide a breakdown of the number of items of unlinked mail at the Child Support Agency at each month end since April 1994. [4173]
§ Mr. MitchellThe 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 18 December 1995:
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State about the number of items of unlinked post at the Child Support Agency.I am sorry that it is not possible to provide an answer to your Question in exactly the form you have asked, but I will try to address what I think is your main concern.All items of mail received at the Agency's six Centres are promptly sorted. A letter responding to a request for information is passed immediately to the relevant section which requested the information and staff will then take the necessary action. Other items of mail will have details of the correspondence entered immediately on the appropriate file held on the computer system.If an item of post is received which we are unable to associate with the case (ether clerical or computer based) because, for example, there is insufficient information, the Agency writes to the correspondent asking for more details. The number of such items of unactioned and unlinked mail held by the Agency's Centres at 1 December 1995 amounted to 57.I hope this is helpful.
§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East (Mr. Timms) of 18 May,Official Report, column 331, concerning maintenance assessments by the Child Support Agency with reference to cases cleared since April. [4717]
§ Mr. MitchellI refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the chief executive of the Child Support Agency on 12 December,Official Report, columns 625–27.