HC Deb 06 November 1995 vol 265 cc647-8W
Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the length of time it takes for assessments to be made by the Child Support Agency. [39694]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

In straightforward cases, where both parents co-operate, the agency aims to complete the assessment in six to 12 weeks. In other cases, the process is inevitably more lengthy.

Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many of the parents with care who withdrew income support claims within four weeks of being contracted by the Child Support Agency had been claiming income support for(a) less than one month, (b) between one month and three months, (c) between three and six months, (d) between six months and one year, (e) between one and two years and (f) over two years; [41039]

(2) pursuant to his answer of 25 October, Official Report, column 711, how many parents with care withdrew their claims to income support within eight weeks of an investigation under the requirement to co-operate; and if he will provide a month-by-month breakdown for 1994–95 and the current financial year. [41081]

Mr. Mitchell

The information is not required for the agency's business and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 484, on the benefit savings achieved by the liable relatives unit in 1991–92, in how many cases the unit took action to arrange, increase or enforce payments of maintenance; and in how many of those cases a claim for income support was withdrawn within four weeks. [41083]

Mr. Mitchell

The information requested is not available in the form requested. However, information on legal proceedings taken to obtain maintenance during the calendar year ending 1991 is in the table.

Number
New orders applied for 1,321
Number granted 1,316
Enforcement/variation of existing order applied for 316
Number granted 292

We have no figures for claims withdrawn, but the number of claims involving liable relatives where income support ceased within four weeks, in the year 1991–92, was 80,261.