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Child Support Agency

Volume 467: debated on Monday 19 November 2007

24. To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what improvements in performance have been made as a result of the Child Support Agency’s operational improvement plan. (165015)

The agency is half way through its three year operational improvement plan and is showing significant improvements in client service. Uncleared applications have been more than halved and stand at their lowest point for at least eight years.

The agency is now assessing cases faster than ever; more than half of all new applications are now routinely cleared in less than six weeks.

While these improvements are important and welcome, the real test is the difference made for children by collecting or arranging maintenance. Having established a platform of improved service, the focus for the remaining 18 months is enforcement.