§ 20. Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases handled by the Child Support Agency were the subject of inquiries from hon.100W Members in (a) the past 12 months and (b) each year since the Child Support Agency was established. [9047]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyIn the past 12 months, to the end of June 1997, the Child Support Agency received 17,590 letters from hon. Members concerning operational issues. We cannot relate this figure directly to the number of cases concerned.
Complete information is not available for each year since the agency's launch as in the early years only inquiries dealt with by the chief executive were recorded. In 1994–94, the chief executive received almost 5,000 letters. In the following two years, the figures were 11,000 and 10,530 respectively. In 1996–97, inquiries from hon. Members sent direct to centre managers were also recorded. In that year, 18,860 letters were received.
As I indicated when we debated child support last month, we intend to look closely at all aspects of the Child Support Agency to ensure that it provides an efficient and effective service. Our key objectives for the agency during the coming year are to sort out cases faster, tackle the backlog of cases and pursue fathers who avoid paying.
§ 29. Mr. BaldryTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she next expects to meet the chief executive of the Child Support Agency to discuss the work of the Child Support Agency. [9057]
§ Mr. BradleyMy noble Friend Baroness Hollis of Heigham, the Minister with day-to-day responsibilities for child support, has regular meetings with the chief executive of the Child Support Agency to discuss operational issues. We are determined to ensure that the agency delivers an improved level of service to all its clients.