§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average monetary value of maintenance assessments undertaken by the Child Support Agency to date, excluding those produced by the implementation of interim maintenance assessments. [1574]
§ Mr. Andrew 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 Miss Ann Chant to Mr. William Cash, dated 24 November 1995:
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency assessments.In cases where the absent parent has earned income the average full maintenance assessment, as at May 1995, was £39.69. When absent parents on benefit are included the average figure was £23.53.
§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total number of child support maintenance applications which the Child Support Agency has dealt with to date(a) where full maintenance assessments have resulted in monetary values less than or equal to the prescribed minimum under the Act, currently £2.35, (b) where full maintenance assessments have resulted in monetary values greater than the prescribed minimum under the Act, currently £2.35, (c) where interim assessments are currently in force, (d) which are currently classed as deferred under the measures announced in December 1994 and (e) which are still pending but which are within the CSA's current work load. [1573]
§ 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 Miss Ann Chant to Mr. William Cash, dated 24 November 1995:
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency assessments.The information requested is shown in the table below:
Number of Full Maintenance Assessments with a value between zero and £2.35 Number of Full Maintenance Assessments with a value greater than and £2.35 Number of Interim Maintenance Assessments in force 144,510 166,945 92,998 Data supplied as at 15 September 1995. In addition, you requested information on the number of cases currently classed as deferred under the measures announced in December 1994. The number of cases deferred was in the region of 350,000. The actual number of these still pending is less because some clients have asked the Agency to take on their case, and others are no longer receiving benefit. On this basis we estimate that there are around 300,000 cases remaining to be taken on.
At the end of September 1995, the Child Support Agency had 384,500 applications for child maintenance on hand, pending action.
508W
§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what date he became aware of the disputes between(a) EDS and Computer Associates and (b) other parties; and if the supply of the Child Support Agency's computer system was affected by these legal disputes. [2016]
§ Mr. MitchellAt the time the contract for the Child Support Agency system was awarded to EDS, there was no knowledge of any dispute between EDS and any other party.
During subsequent development of the system by EDS it became known that it was in dispute with Computer Associates but this had no effect on supply of the system.
The only other dispute known is the dispute between EDS and the state of Florida. Information on this was obtained from the computer press some time after the supply of the system.
§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases where an absent parent has been approached by the child support agency he has become aware that the absent parent has become unemployed. [2013]
§ Mr. MitchellThe information requested is not available. Practical experience has shown that very few absent parents deliberately leave their jobs to avoid paying maintenance for their children. This is because the maintenance assessment formula ensures that all absent parents, and their second families, are at least £30 a week better off after payment of maintenance than they would be if unemployed and receiving income support. No one can now be assessed to pay more than 30 per cent. of their net income in current maintenance. In addition, someone who has left work voluntarily is not entitled to unemployment benefit, and income support is payable at a reduced rate.