§ Andrew MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) when the Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency will send a substantive reply to the letter of 29 January from my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay) concerning his constituent, Andrew Palmer of East Tilbury; [37432]
(2) when and in what terms the Child Support Agency apologised to Andrew Palmer of East Tilbury; and if he will make a statement. [37436]
§ Malcolm WicksThe administration of the child Support Agency is a mater for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Doug Smith to Andrew Mackinlay, dated 1 May 2002:
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply by me to the operational aspects. I'm sorry about the long delay in providing this.You ask two questions, firstly, when and in what terms the Child Support Agency apologised to Andrew Palmer of East Tilbury and if the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will make a statement. Secondly, when I will send a substantive reply to your letter of the 29th January concerning your constituent Andrew Palmer.I replied to your letter on 6th March 2002 and on the same day wrote in similar terms to Mr Palmer, my letter to you included the words;I apologise for the Agency's incorrect approach to your constituent, which I have now established arose as a result of an error many years ago in allocating your constituents National Insurance number to another person.