§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions she has had with the Child Support Agency on delays in paying maintenance to a parent with care when a payment from an absent parent has been received. [32865]
730W
§ Mr. Keith 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 expect the Child Support Agency to provide an efficient and effective service to all its clients throughout the child support process.
One of the targets for the Agency is to pass on to the parent with care 97 per cent. of payments within 10 working days of receipt. The current Agency performance statistics show that, at 31 January 1998, 98 per cent. of payments had been passed on within that timescale. The balance includes cases where the instrument of payment from the absent parent is not honoured or those where the identity details of the parents involved are not clear.