§ Mr. HunterTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will take measures to ensure that complaints awaiting investigation by the Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency are investigated more promptly; and if he will direct more resources towards achieving this; [140469]
(2) what the backlog of complaints awaiting investigation by the Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency was in (a) November 1999, (b) May 2000 and (c) November 2000. [140468]
§ Angela EagleIn November 1999 there were 170 cases awaiting investigation. By May 2000, this had risen to 204 cases and by November 2000 there were 218 cases in this category. Overall, the percentage of cases referred to the Independent Case Examiner as a percentage of the Child Support Agency caseload has fallen from 0.17 per cent. in 1989–99 to 0.11 per cent. in 1999–2000
Additional funding was allocated in September 2000 which will mean a 17 per cent. increase in investigative resources.