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Dept of Social Security;Social Security Benefits Agency

Answer

Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what procedures will exist to ensure that the opening and sorting of Child Support Agency post by Royal Mail staff will not lead to breaches of confidentiality; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which individual letters have to be read by Royal Mail staff to be effectively sorted. [40985] Mr. Mitchell: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member. Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 16 October 1996: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency post opening arrangements. Following a feasibility study carried out last year, the Agency decided to contract out its post opening requirements to the Royal Mail. Client confidentiality is of the utmost importance to the Agency, and was an important consideration in taking this decision. The Agency ran a pilot exercise to test procedures, and issues such as security and client confidentiality. In providing a sorting service to the Agency, Royal Mail are required merely to scan items of mail to ascertain their correct destination point. This is identical to the procedure previously undertaken by Agency staff. The volumes involved and the large scale use of machinery in the process makes the reading of individual letters and forms an impractical proposition. In addition, all Royal Mail staff are required to sign the Official Secrets Act: just as staff employed by the Child Support Agency. I hope this is helpful.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

40985; 282 c1026W;282 c1024W

Session

1995-96

Subjects

Child Support Agency Privacy Postal services