To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) third party debt orders, (b) charging orders, (c) county court judgments, (d) levying of distress actions, (e) committal actions and (f) withdrawal of driving licence orders have been (i) sought and (ii) granted at the instance of the CSA in each year since 1997. [106243]
The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Doug Smith to Annabelle Ewing, dated 8 April 2003:
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent
parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply
from the Chief Executive.
You ask how many (a) third party debt orders (b) charging orders (c) county court judgements (d) levying of distress actions (e) committal actions and (f) withdrawal of driving licence orders have been (i) sought and (ii) granted at the insistence of the Agency in each year since 1997.
The Agency does not collect or retain reliable information about the use made of different enforcement mechanisms or their relative effectiveness. This is one reason why, last year, I commissioned an internal review of our enforcement work. One outcome from that has been the establishment of a new enforcement management information package so that this information will be available for the future.
With that proviso, my best estimate of the use made of different enforcement mechanisms is as follows. You will note that I have not, for each, been able to establish reliable figures for "sought" and "granted".
Third party debt orders
| |
Year to 31 March
| Number
|
| 1997 | 340 |
| 1998 | 370 |
| 1999 | 1,150 |
| 2000 | 1,400 |
| 2001 | 1,500 |
| 2002 | 800 |
| 2003 | 950 |
Charging orders
| |
Year to 31 March
| Number
|
| 1997 | 70 |
| 1998 | 60 |
| 1999 | 70 |
| 2000 | 80 |
| 2001 | 250 |
| 2002 | 400 |
| 2003 | 700 |
County court judgments
| |
Year to 31 March
| Number
|
| 1997 | 300 |
| 1998 | 700 |
| 1999 | 500 |
| 2000 | 650 |
| 2001 | 600 |
| 2002 | 300 |
| 2003 | 550 |
Levying of distress actions
| |
Year to 31 March
| Number
|
| 1997 | 800 |
| 1998 | 1,000 |
| 1999 | 2,000 |
| 2000 | 2,300 |
| 2001 | 1,600 |
| 2002 | 2,100 |
| 2003 | 2,400 |
Strictly the Agency does not seek either committal or the withdrawal of a driving licence. These are options available to a Magistrates Court. The number of cases we have taken in each year where the Magistrates choose committal are as follows:
Year to 31 March
| Number
|
| 1997 | 0 |
| 1998 | Figures not available |
| 1999 | 33 |
| 2000 | 7 |
| 2001 | 22 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 16 |
The Magistrates chose to exercise the option of withdrawing a driving licence in two cases in the last year.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many liability orders in Scotland have been (a) sought and (b) granted at the instance of the Child Support Agency in each year since 1997. [106244]
The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Doug Smith to Annabelle Ewing, dated 8 April 2003:
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
You ask how many liability orders in Scotland have been (a) sought and (b) granted at the insistence of the Child Support Agency in each year since 1997.
The Agency has not collected or retained information about the use made of different enforcement mechanisms or their relative effectiveness. This is one reason why, last year, I commissioned an internal review of our enforcement work. One outcome from that has been the establishment of a new enforcement management information package so that this type of information will be available for the future.
With that proviso, my best estimate of the number of liability orders obtained in Scotland is as follows:
Year to 31 March
| Number
|
| 1998 | 260 |
| 1999 | 400 |
| 2000 | 700 |
| 2001 | 470 |
| 2002 | 200 |
| 2003 | 280 |
Clearly there will be a difference between the number "sought" and "granted" but, for the reason explained, I am unable to reliably establish that.