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Written question asked by Laurence Robertson (Conservative) on Wednesday, 3 November 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 November 2010. It was answered by Maria Miller (Conservative) on Monday, 8 November 2010 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Children: Maintenance

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to reduce the amount of time taken to make Child Support Agency assessments; and if he will make a statement.
Answer

The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.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 what steps he is taking to reduce the amount of time taken to make Child Support Agency assessments; and if he will make a statement. [22665]""The Child Support Agency has a client service target to clear 80% of new applications within 12 weeks, and this measure continues to be used to monitor and promote performance improvements. An application is classed as cleared when a non resident parent has been traced and has accepted parentage, income details have been established, a calculation made and a payment schedule established (or if the application is withdrawn or closed before a schedule is established). Performance against this target is routinely published in the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics which is available in the House of Commons library or online at:""http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/publications/stats0910.html""The latest figures show that 88% of applications received in June 2010 were cleared within 12 weeks. This is an increase from 86% three months earlier and continues a steady increase since March 2005 when 30% were cleared in 12 weeks. 93% of intake received in April 2010 was cleared within 18 weeks, the same as three months earlier. 96% of intake received in March 2010 was cleared within 26 weeks. This is an increase from 95% three months earlier.""I hope you find this answer helpful."

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
22665; 518 c171W
Session
2010-12
Subjects
Children Maintenance
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk