HC Deb 04 March 1996 vol 273 cc75-6W
Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the benefit savings attributable to the Child Support Agency if a multiplier of 21 weeks were used when considering the savings due to the withdrawal of income support claims. [15754]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

The information is as follows:

  • 1993–94: £327 million
  • 1994–95: £348 million.
These figures include savings where:
  • the level of child maintenance reduced the amount of income support in payment;
  • the level of child maintenance removed the need for income support;
  • the claim for income support was withdrawn following Child Support Agency involvement;
and resultant housing benefit, council tax benefit, family credit and disability working allowance savings.

Mr. Heppell

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the liability of an individual served with a detachment of earnings order in the event of an employer not making prompt payments to the Child Support Agency; [17705]

(2) who has responsibility for the collection of money when an employer has failed to comply with a detachment of earnings order. [17707]

Mr. Mitchell

Absent parents who have a liability to make payments of child support maintenance remain liable until the payment in question is made to the appropriate person irrespective of the way in which that payment is collected. However, employers have a duty to pass on, to the Secretary of State, moneys collected direct from an absent parent's earnings under a deduction from earnings order. Payments must be made by the 19th day of the month following the month in which the deduction is made. Failure to comply with the requirements of a deduction from earnings order is an offence punishable by a fine.

Where, for any reason, a deduction from earnings order proves ineffective as a method of collecting payments of child support maintenance it is for the Secretary of State to consider what further action may be appropriate.

Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 16 January,Official Report, column 568, relating to the financial memorandum of the Child Support Bill, how he intends to quantify long-term effects on expenditure resulting from the activities of the Child Support Agency; and how he will ensure that any savings are solely the result of the activities of the agency. [18169]

Mr. Mitchell

As part of the process of evaluation of child support policy, estimates will be made of the possible pattern of public expenditure if the scheme had not been introduced. These will attempt to isolate the behavioural changes arising from the child support scheme compared with, for example, those resulting from other changes made in the benefit system, and demographic changes. Such an evaluation is necessarily long term, because of the staggered take-on of the Child Support Agency's caseload, and because the full impact of the new departures system will not be apparent for several years.