Child Support Agency (Hansard, 28 November 1995)

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases a separated husband and wife have both sold their homes following a maintenance award made by the Child Support Agency. [2221]

§ Mr. Andrew Mitchell
The information requested is not available. The maintenance assessment formula ensures that parents with care and the vast majority of absent parents have their housing costs taken fully into account.

§ Mr. Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what precautions the Child Support Agency takes to ensure that no child is rendered homeless as a result of its assessments. [2385]

§ Mr. Mitchell
Absent parents who have children living with them have their housing costs taken fully into account when their maintenance payments are assessed.
Where the agency needs to consider enforcement action, it is required by law to have regard to the welfare of any child likely to be affected by its decision.

§ Ms Lynne
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many type D interim assessments have been issued by the Child Support Agency. [2014]

§ 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 27 November 1995: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency Type 'D' interim assessments. The type 'D' interim assessment was introduced in April 1995 to make interim assessments on cases where the absent parent has exceptionally high earnings. At 30 September 1995 this measure had been used in eight cases. I hope this is helpful.
614W

§ Ms Lynne
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the weekly maintenance due via the Child Support Agency's collection service in(a) cases which are fully paid and (b) cases which are partially paid. [2020]

§ 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 27 November 1995: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about cases using the Child Support Agency collection service. Information on these cases is not available in the form you have requested. However, the average amount of maintenance assessment in cases with an interim assessment is £95. In cases with a full maintenance assessment, when the absent parent has earned income,' the average amount is £39.69. I hope this is helpful.

§ Ms Lynne
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases a Child Support Agency assessment is limited by(a) the protected income formula and (b) the 30 per cent. rule; and what are the amounts of weekly maintenance due in these cases. [2012]

§ 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 27 November 1995: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency assessments. The increase of protected income to 70% of net income was one of a number of policy changes introduced in April 1995. It was introduced to ensure that after a maintenance assessment, an absent parent retained a minimum guaranteed income, and at the time 18,752 cases benefitted. Specific information is not available on the impact of this policy change on the amount of child maintenance payable in each individual case. However, I can tell you that as a result of all the changes in April where liability decreased, the average maintenance assessment reduced from £60.64 to £52.31. I am afraid I cannot establish what subject you are asking for information in relation to the "20 per cent" rule. The April policy changes did not include any such measure. If you write to me explaining what you are interested in, I will do my best to help.

§ Ms Lynne
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what agencies, Government Departments or other sources the Child Support Agency has received from, or supplied to, information related to clients. [2015]

§ 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 27 November 1995: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about information related to clients. The Child Support Agency is registered with the Data Protection Registrar's Office in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act. This registration includes details of the possible sources, from which we may require information and to whom such information may be disclosed. The information is shown on the attached table. 615W

DATA HELD BY THE CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY

Sources of Data

Family, relatives, guardians, trustees

Financial representatives,

Landlords.

Inland Revenue,

Customs and Excise,

DVLC,

Local authority housing department,

Prison Service,

Public utilities,

Banks,

Northern Ireland housing executive,

Building societies.

Recipients of Data

Home Office,

Local authority social services,

Police forces,

The Post Office,

Other Government Departments,

Treasury Solicitors.

Sources and Recipients of Data

The data subject themselves,

Employers past, current, prospective,

Legal representatives,

Nominated Representatives of Customers,

Persons working within DSS to gain Work Experience,

Recipients, customers, clients for goods or services,

Department of Employment,

Departments of Health and Social Security,

MoD (Including Armed Forces),

The Courts,

Judges magistrates,

Central Government. Departments in Northern Ireland,

Registered medical practitioners.

§ Ms Lynne
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases(a) which are fully paid and (b) which are partially paid, absent parents are paying child support maintenance by way of a deduction of earnings order. [2019]

§ 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 27 November 1995: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about deduction of earnings orders. The number of absent parents who were paying their child maintenance by way of a deduction of earnings order since April 1995 is 28,302. It is not possible to break this figure down into full or partial payments. I hope this is helpful.