HC Deb 05 June 1996 vol 278 c459W
Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what monitoring the Child Support Agency undertakes(a) of the number of its clients who become insolvent following its intervention and (b) of the change in the number of clients becoming insolvent; and what procedures the agency adopts to avoid a client becoming insolvent following its intervention. [30692]

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 4 June 1996: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency clients. No formal records are kept of the number of clients who report that they have become insolvent following contact with the Agency, nor does the Agency petition for bankruptcy. Absent parents are always left with at least 70% of their income (67% if paying arrears) after a child maintenance assessment has been made. It should also be remembered that it could be the parent with care who has been made insolvent because legally due child maintenance has not been paid. The Agency has a legal liability to enforce maintenance payments in suitable cases even if it reaches the stage of court proceedings, to protect the interest of the taxpayer and the parent with care.