§ Mr. BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of outstanding cases428W for the Child Support Agency in each year since its inception; what has been the highest number of cases outstanding; and what information he collates on the distribution of cases throughout different areas of the United Kingdom. [12862]
§ 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 Ann Chant to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 30 January 1997:
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about cases on hand in the Child Support Agency.It is not possible to give a complete answer to your question. A breakdown of child maintenance applications on hand in the Child Support Agency Centres (which cover specific geographical areas) is available only for the year ending 31 March 1996 and for the current year to 31 December 1996. An overall total is available for the year ending 1994–95. An estimate is given for 1993–94; this represents the highest number of such cases on hand since the Agency began. As in the previous two years, the Agency is currently on track to reduce the total number of maintenance applications on hand by the end of the year i.e. by 31 March 1997.The information available is provided in the attached table. The figures represent those applications which have not been fully cleared, either by assessment or for other reasons, and are therefore counted as work on hand. The base data is drawn from scans of the Child Support Computer System which have been enhanced as the Agency's business has evolved. The number of cases on hand at any time must be taken in context with the increasing number of cases that the Agency has dealt with. This has risen form 858,000 at the end of 1993–94 to over 1.8 million at 31 December 1996.I hope this is helpful.
Maintenance assessments on hand since CSA inception Child Support Agency centre 1993–94 (as at 31 March 1994) 1994–95 (as at 31 March 1995) 1995–96 (as at 31 March 1996) 1996–97 (as at 31 December 1996) Dudley n/a n/a 62,908 72,203 Hastings n/a n/a 52,113 58,796 Falkirk n/a n/a 81,314 89,417 Plymouth n/a n/a 60,261 66,234 Birkenhead n/a n/a 69,077 65,865 Belfast n/a n/a 83,986 89,269 Total 1550,000 425,561 409,659 441,784 1 Estimate.
§ Mr. WicksTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances the Child Support Agency varies maintenance awards or arrears to reflect overpayments made by an absent parent when these arise due to the parent with care(a) under-declaring her or his income and (b) in some other way defrauding the benefits system; and what assessment he has made of whether existing arrangements with regard to fraudulent claims might be improved. [13021]
§ 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 Ann Chant to Mr. Malcolm Wicks, dated 30 January 1997:
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about maintenance overpaid to the Child Support Agency.429WA maintenance assessment will be reviewed and any arrears adjusted where the Agency is notified, or becomes aware, that there has been a change in circumstances or that the original circumstances were not accurately represented by either party involved.Where a reviewed assessment results in the absent parent having overpaid maintenance, this can be dealt with in one of three ways. It can be used to reduce any arrears, reduce future maintenance payments or in certain exceptional circumstances a lump sum repayment may be made to the absent parent. The appropriate action would depend on the circumstances of the case.As part of the Closer Working Programme with the Benefits Agency, the Child Support Agency has a number of initiatives in place to help improve the security of benefit payments. In particular a Benefits Agency fraud liaison officer is stationed in each mainland Child Support Agency Centre both to improve fraud awareness and to monitor fraud referrals Work under this programme continues to explore the interaction between the Agencies, one of the main objectives being to further tighten security on benefits payments.I hope this is helpful.