Written question asked by Jeffrey M Donaldson (Democratic Unionist Party) on Wednesday, 14 January 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 19 January 2009. It was answered by Baroness Ussher (Labour) on Wednesday, 21 January 2009 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Child Support Agency: ICT

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the transfer of historical child maintenance cases on to the Child Support Agency's new system for calculating maintenance payments to be complete.

Answer: [holding answer 19 January 2009]: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.Letter from Stephen Geraghty:"In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.""You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects the transfer of historical child maintenance cases onto the Child Support Agency's new system for calculating maintenance payments to be complete. [249016]""The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission took responsibility for all Child Support Agency functions, assets and people from 1 November 2008. All existing Agency clients have the option either to agree a private maintenance arrangement or to remain within the current schemes until the new gross income statutory maintenance scheme is introduced.""The Commission expects to introduce the new gross income statutory maintenance scheme in 2011 and all Agency clients on both schemes will then be invited either to apply to the new gross income scheme or to make a private arrangement. It is currently planned that this process will take around three years.""I hope you find this answer helpful."

Secondary information