HC Deb 19 March 1996 vol 274 cc176-8W
24. Mr. Tipping

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of child support collected by the Child Support Agency represents a net income increase for parents with care. [19724]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

Of the total number of parents with care who currently have a full maintenance assessment, 13 per cent. are receiving family credit or disability working allowance, and 8 per cent. are non-benefit cases. Subject to the level of any previous maintenance agreement these cases represent a net income increase.

For parents with care receiving income support, maintenance is a portable income, giving greater flexibility and choice should they wish to return to work. The child maintenance bonus, due to be introduced from April 1997, will provide additional income at the point parents do return to work.

Dr. Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent changes there have been in(a) the working of the Child Support Agency and (b) its performance against targets; and what factors have led to them. [15766]

Mr. Mitchell

Recent changes to the agency's operations include: measures to improve the accuracy of its assessments through enhanced training and better targeted quality checks; the more efficient use of field office staff in the take-on of responsibility for pre= assessment work; improvements to the child support computer system; and the roll-out of computer support to the field offices.

These and other measures to simplify the child support scheme have enabled the agency to make considerable progress over the past year. Accuracy rates have improved significantly and currently exceed the 75 per cent. target. Further improvements are expected in the coming year. The agency has also collected and arranged maintenance of over £230 million so far this year and is on track to meet the 1995–96 target of £300 million. In January 1996, the agency collected maintenance in excess of £14 million which is more than that collected in the whole of its first year of operations. Payments of maintenance to parents with care have been made within 10 working days in 97 per cent. of cases against a target of 90 per cent.

The changes which have been made and the improvements in the agency's performance are the result of the Government's commitment to the success of the child support scheme and the determined efforts of staff across the agency to deliver the quality of service which the public is entitled to expect.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of staff(a) joining and (b) leaving the Child Support Agency for each of the last 24 months for which figures are available; what was the total number of employees of the agency in each month during that period; and if he will make a statement. [20619]

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 Ann Chant to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 18 March 1996:

I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency staffing.

The total number of employees of the Agency from February 1995 to January 1996 inclusive is shown in the attached table. This also shows the fluctuations in staffing levels for each month in that period. Information on the numbers of staff leaving and joining the Agency each month during this period is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member shortly with the outstanding information.

The figures do not include information on staff within the Belfast Child Support Agency Centre. This is because staffing issues at this centre are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency.

I hope this is helpful.

Staff-in-post for the period 1 February 1994 to 31 January 1996
Month 1994 1995 1996
January 5,799.0 6,298.7
February 4,677.5 5,830.5
March 4,685.0 5,965.4
April 4,731.0 6,055.0
May 4,779.0 6,047.1
June 4,874.0 6,045.9
July 5,074.0 6,029.9
August 5,322.0 5,989.8
September 5,456.0 6,064.9
October 5,650.0 6,146.5
November 5,749.5 6,139.1
December 5,829.0 6,220.9

Staff-in-post figures up to and including February 1995 are shown as full-time equivalents. They are shown as whole-time equivalents thereafter.

25. Mr Eastham

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time taken to complete child support assessments. [19725]

Mr. Mitchell

The average time for making an assessment is around 30 weeks but in straightforward cases, where both parents co-operate, the agency aims to complete the process in six to 12 weeks.