Child Support Agency (Hansard, 1 November 1995)

§ 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 Mr. Llew Smith, dated 31 October 1995: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security concerning the time taken by the Agency to clear maintenance assessments. Due to the nature of the child support work, and the varying level of co-operation experienced, reaching a full maintenance assessment will, on average, involve a period of months rather than weeks. The Agency has, however, sought to introduce a number of operational improvements to ensure that straightforward cases, in which both parents co-operate with the Agency, are cleared quickly. Where both parents co-operate,we would hope that an assessment is completed within 6 to 12 weeks of the maintenance application form being issued.

At present, including the less straightforward cases, the average time taken by the Child Support Agency to make a maintenance assessment is approximately 30 weeks. This information is taken from a five per cent. statistical sample carried out on 31st May 1995.You asked about performance against the set target. From April to August this year just under 50 per cent. of applications received since the beginning of October 1994 had been cleared within 26 weeks. These figures do not currently take account of all the cases cleared, for example, where "good cause" has been accepted and a reduced benefit direction has been issued. We expect more comprehensive figures to become available within the next two months.I hope this is helpful.