Child Support Agency (Hansard, 23 November 1995)

§ Ms Lynne
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update his answer of 13 June 1995,Official Report, column 492, in respect of benefit savings achieved by the Child Support Agency. [1093]

§ 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 Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 22 November 1995:
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about benefit savings.

Month Good Cause Accepted Absent Parent Named Good cause not Accepted Reduced Benefit Direction Implemented Investigations Completed

April 2,172 490 3,035 2,361 5,697

May 3,119 862 4.212 2,868 8,193

June 3,133 1,584 4,573 2,346 9,290

July 3,289 1,986 4,018 2,011 9,293

August 3,341 2,004 4,331 2,363 9,676

September 3,523 2,312 4,024 2,367 9,859

Total 18,577 9,238 24,193 14,316 52,008

230W
The table attached covers April to September this year. It shows that the Agency has recorded savings of approximately £195.03 million. The total does not cover Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit savings which will be calculated later in the year.

Amount

Category of benefit savings £ million

Resulting from pre-CSA assessments:

Paid through Agency collection service to Secretary of State 1.57

Resulting from CSA and pre-CSA assessments:

Paid direct by Absent Parent to Parent with Care 65.69

Resulting from CSA assessments:

Paid through Agency collection service to Secretary of State 30.16

Deductions from Absent Parents' Income support payments 4.18

Income Support claim cessations:

Income Support exceeded rate of benefit 4.30

Income Support claim withdrawn within four weeks of CSA action 80.99

Reductions in Family credit or Disability Working Allowance resulting from CSA assessments 8.14

Housing Benefit/Council tax reductions resulting from CSA assessments Not available

Total 195.03

§ Ms Lynne
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the monthly breakdown of requirement to co-operate decisions contained in his answer of 26 October 1995,Official Report, columns 805–6, in respect of the Child Support Agency, to include the figures from April 1995 to the most recent month for which figures are available. [1098]

§ Mr. 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 Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 22 November 1995: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about requirement to co-operate decisions. You asked for an update of the monthly breakdown of requirement to co-operate decisions contained in his Answer of 26th October 1995, Official Report, columns 805–6, in respect of the Child Support Agency, to include the figures from April 1995 to the most recent month for which figures are available. The table below provides a breakdown of the outcome of requirement to co-operate investigations completed during each month between April and September 1995. From April 1995, information is now available on the number of reduced benefit directions actually implemented by Benefits Agency rather than the number issued for implementation. We have included this in the table and hope that you will find it more meaningful. You may wish to know that the majority of the figures shown in the table are contained in the Child Support Agency Statistical Information which is placed in the Library of the House of Commons each month.
231W

§ Mr. Tipping
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many telephone calls have been received on the Child Support Agency MP hotline since it started. [1064]

§ Mr. 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 Miss Ann Chant to Mr. Paddy Tipping, dated 22 November 1995:
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency MP Hotline.From its launch on 12 December 1993 to 30 September 1995, 5,230 telephone calls have been answered on the Hotline.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the largest back-dated payment required by the Child Support Agency. [122]

§ Mr. Mitchell
The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Month	Good Cause Accepted	Absent Parent Named	Good cause not Accepted	Reduced Benefit Direction Implemented	Investigations Completed
April	2,172	490	3,035	2,361	5,697
May	3,119	862	4.212	2,868	8,193
June	3,133	1,584	4,573	2,346	9,290
July	3,289	1,986	4,018	2,011	9,293
August	3,341	2,004	4,331	2,363	9,676
September	3,523	2,312	4,024	2,367	9,859
Total	18,577	9,238	24,193	14,316	52,008

	Amount
Category of benefit savings	£ million
Resulting from pre-CSA assessments:
Paid through Agency collection service to Secretary of State	1.57
Resulting from CSA and pre-CSA assessments:
Paid direct by Absent Parent to Parent with Care	65.69
Resulting from CSA assessments:
Paid through Agency collection service to Secretary of State	30.16
Deductions from Absent Parents' Income support payments	4.18
Income Support claim cessations:
Income Support exceeded rate of benefit	4.30
Income Support claim withdrawn within four weeks of CSA action	80.99
Reductions in Family credit or Disability Working Allowance resulting from CSA assessments	8.14
Housing Benefit/Council tax reductions resulting from CSA assessments	Not available
Total	195.03