(2) how many written complaints have been received by the Child Support Agency from people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.
The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 12 March 2008:
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many telephone complaints have been received by the Child Support Agency by people in (a) Jarrow constituency (b) South Tyneside (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997 [184837], and;
How many written complaints have been received by the Child Support Agency by people in (a) Jarrow constituency (b) South Tyneside (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. [184838]
Information on the number of complaints received is not collated at parliamentary constituency, local authority or regional level. Information on the total number of written and telephone complaints received is set out in the attached tables. Written complaints include complaints received by letter, fax or email.
It should be noted that it is difficult to use this information to make meaningful comparisons over time due to changes in the way that information has been recorded. In particular, whilst the volume of complaints undoubtedly rose between 2002-03 and 2003-04, this is likely to have been due in part to more rigorous recording of complaints received at the time, and the introduction by the Agency of a three tier complaints process during 2003-04.
Since April 2006, as a result of the improvements to client service made under the Operational Improvement Plan the number of complaints received has fallen. In addition the Agency revised and simplified the complaints process from April 2007, removing a tier from the resolution process and introducing specialist case workers responsible for resolving all aspects of our clients' complaints.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Stage 1 complaints received (Written)7 27,875 28,073 21,015 19,634 15,493 15,182 24,809 29,213 27,344 21,719 Stage 1 Complaints received (telephone)7 1— 1— 1— 1— 1— 2— 7,458 10,570 10,660 7,560 Chief Executive Complaints 3— 3— 3— 4,096 4,555 7,096 4— 5— 5,887 3,769 Treat Official Complaints6 3— 3— 3— 2,609 2,869 1,344 1,521 1,108 1,278 998 MP Complaints 3— 3— 3— 4,175 4,818 4,537 5,317 8,871 9,729 9,151 1 Whilst the Agency did receive telephone complaints prior to 2002-03, their volumes were not recorded. 2 Although 671 stage 1 telephone complaints were recorded between December 2002 and March 2003, their volumes were not recorded throughout the whole year, thus preventing meaningful comparison with later years. 3 Whilst the Agency did receive complaints directly to the chief executive, treat official complaints, and MP complaints to business units prior to 2000-01, their volumes were not recorded. 4 During 2003-04 complaints sent directly to the chief executive were not recorded separately from those complaints that were escalated to him as part of the 3-stage process. Therefore, although 7,183 complaints in total were received during 2003-04, it is not possible to separate out those complaints received by the chief executive directly (as opposed to those escalated via the complaints process), thus preventing meaningful comparison with data for earlier years. 5 In April and May of 2004, the chief executive received a total of 1,447 complaints however, is not possible to separate out those complaints received by the chief executive directly, as opposed to those escalated to stage 3 of the complaints process). From June 2004-March 2005, after which time such complaints were recorded separately, the chief executive received 4,393 direct complaints and 2,594 complaints escalated upwards from stage 2. Again, these recording issues prevent meaningful comparison of this category with earlier years. 6 Treat official letters are those received by a Minister from a member of the public, and referred for initial consideration to an official of the Agency. 7 Changes to how the Agency recorded complaints over the years means that comparisons of the numbers of complaints received are not easily made. The Agency initially operated a two tier complaints process to deal with escalated complaints. A third tier was introduced in 2003, - see notes 4 and 5. In the year ending March 2006, 7167 stage 1 complaints required escalation to resolve and 4,673 in year ending March 2007.
The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. member with the information requested.
Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 12 March 2008:
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints have been made about the Child Support Agency (a) by people in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) nationally in the last two years. [191956]
Information on the number of complaints received is not collated at parliamentary constituency, local authority or regional level. Information on the number of complaints received nationally by the Agency is set out in the attached tables.
Since April 2006, as a result of the improvements to client service made under the Operational Improvement Plan the number of complaints received has fallen. In addition the Agency revised and simplified the complaints process from April 2007, removing a tier from the resolution process and introducing specialist case workers responsible for resolving all aspects of our clients' complaints.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
2005-06 2006-07 Stage 1 complaints received1 38,004 29,279 Chief Executive Complaints 5,887 3,769 Treat Official Complaints2 1,278 998 MP Complaints 9,729 9,151 1 The agency operated a three tier complaints process throughout 2005-06 and 2006-07. In the year ending March 2006, 7,167 stage 1 complaints required escalation to resolve and 4,673 in year ending March 2007. 2 Treat official letters are those received by a Minister from a member of the public, and referred for initial consideration to an official of the agency. Note: Under the Operational Improvement Plan, the agency introduced a new complaints resolution process from April 2007. This simplified process has just two stages; the number of complains received for 2007-08 will be published in the agency's annual report and accounts.