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Dept of Social Security;Child Support Agency

Answer

Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the progress to date of the Child Support Agency in obtaining child support payments from absent parents who were not previously paying maintenance. [19555] Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant CB. She will write to the hon. Member. Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Mr. David Nicholas, dated 19 March 1997: I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the progress of the Child Support Agency in obtaining child support payments. During 1995/96 the Agency was involved in the payment of over £301 million in maintenance arising from child support assessments. This included about £137 million arranged to be paid direct between parents, and over £164 million collected by the Agency. The amount collected was more than double that of 1994/95 (£76 million). During the current financial year, the total collected and arranged was over £322 million as at 31st January. Achieving the target set by the Secretary of State of £380 million--£400 million will entail an increase of 27%-33% on the collected/arranged figure required last year, but the Agency is on course to succeed in meeting this challenge. The Agency has also become increasingly successful in tracing absent parents. In 1995/96, over 55,000 specialist traces were successfully undertaken by the Agency, the vast majority of which referred to absent parents whose whereabouts were doubtful. In January, 7,361 were successful (the highest ever recorded), bringing the total so far this year to 53,047. The Agency has continued to put an increased emphasis on the enforcement of maintenance payments. In 1995/96 53,000 deduction from earnings orders (DEOs) were issued, an increase of 65% on the 1994/95 figure. During the current financial year 47,814 DEOs have been issued as at 31st January. The Agency is increasingly obtaining liability orders through the courts, mainly against non-compliant self employed absent parents. The number of liability orders applied for in this financial year as at the end of January was 1,702, an increase of 58% compared with the same period last year. I hope this is helpful.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

19555; 292 c890-1W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Children Maintenance