Child Support Agency Mr. Laws To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the existing chief executive of the Child Support Agency (CSA) will also be chief executive of the new body set up to replace the CSA; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Plaskitt As we announced in the White Paper, we will establish a Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (C-MEC) to replace the Child Support Agency. C-MEC will be led by the new position of Commissioner for Child Maintenance. We expect to make key C-MEC appointments in 2007-8. These appointments will be on a provisional basis (pending Royal Assent of a Bill to reform the child maintenance system). New senior appointments will follow guidelines from the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA). Mr. Philip Hammond To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in each Child Support Agency call centre were assigned to the legacy child support computer system at the end of each month since January 2006; and how many staff were assigned to the new CS2 system during that period. Mr. Plaskitt The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to right hon. Member with the information requested. Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 24 January 2007: 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 staff in each Child Support Agency call centre were assigned to the legacy Child Support computer system at the end of each month since January 2006; and how many staff were assigned to the new CS2 system during that period. [112925] Agency people at each of the National Helpline sites have access to both the Child Support Computer System (CSCS) and the new computer system (CS2), except the Silkhouse Court site in Liverpool which has access to CSCS only and has primary responsibility for calls relating to this system. The other National Helpline teams have access to both computer systems in case any calls are diverted from the Liverpool office, or calls are received regarding cases with links between the two computer systems. However, the primary responsibility of these sites is the CS2 system. The attached table shows the number of Agency people working on the National Helpline who have access to both computer systems and those who have access to CSCS only. I hope you find this information helpful. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |January 2006|February 2006|March 2006|April 2006|May 2006|June 2006| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Child Support computer system only | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Full-time equivalent |97 |99 |114 |108 |119 |118 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Individuals |115 |123 |134 |134 |141 |140 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |CS2 and Child Support computer system| | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Full-time equivalent |332 |357 |350 |341 |347 |345 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Individuals |415 |417 |434 |446 |446 |438 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |July 2006|August 2006|September 2006|October 2006|November 2006|December 2006| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Child Support computer system only | | | | | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Full-time equivalent |111 |111 |117 |118 |115 |115 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Individuals |133 |133 |142 |147 |142 |142 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |CS2 and Child Support computer system| | | | | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Full-time equivalent |350 |349 |361 |357 |351 |349 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Individuals |447 |435 |451 |452 |445 |443 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Philip Hammond To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the sanctions available to the Child Support Agency to apply against non-compliant non-resident parents. Mr. Plaskitt The Child Support Agency is currently able to apply to the magistrates court, seeking an order to disqualify the non-resident parent from driving (for a maximum of two years) or to commit the non-resident parent to prison (for no longer than 42 days). Mr. Philip Hammond To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many deduction from earnings orders were applied through the Child Support Agency in each year for which figures are available. Mr. Plaskitt 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 24 January 2007: 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 deduction from earnings orders were applied through the Child Support Agency in each year for which figures are available. Such information as is available is presented in the attached table. The number of cases which have a deduction from earnings order (DEO) or a deduction from earnings request (DER) as an agreed method of maintenance collection at yearly intervals from November 1995 to September 2006: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Month ending |Cases with DEO or DER as method of maintenance collection| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |November 1995 |41,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |November 1996 |64,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |November 1997 |91,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |November 1998 |119,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |November 1999 |136,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |November 2000 |141,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |November 2001 |139,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |November 2002 |139,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |November 2003 |— | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |November 2004 |136,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |November 2005 |153,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |September 2006 |165,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Notes:1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand.2. The table includes deduction from earnings orders (DEOs) and deduction from earnings request (DERs). DERs are the equivalent method of collection when the non-resident parent is a member of the armed forces.3. November 1995 is the earliest month for which data is available and September 2006 is the most recent. Data on the old scheme prior to March 2003 are only available quarterly for irregular quarters (February, May, August, and November). As such, figures are shown at yearly intervals from November 1995 onwards except for September 2006.4. Robust information covering the period March 2003 to February 2004 is not currently available, so no figure is available for November 2003.5. The table includes those old scheme cases with a full maintenance assessment, and those new scheme cases with either a full maintenance calculation, or a default maintenance decision. Old scheme cases with a punitive interim maintenance assessment (an imposed assessment due to the non co-operation of the non-resident parent), a small number of which would have deductions from earnings orders in place, are excluded from this analysis in line with the Agency’s target definitions, as are new scheme cases being processed clerically.| | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Laws To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what definition his Department uses of (a) uncollectable and (b) collectable Child Support Agency arrears; and if he will make a statement; (2) what definitions his Department uses for unpaid Child Support Agency maintenance that is (a) probably uncollectable and (b) possibly collectable; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Plaskitt 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 24 January 2007: In reply to your recent Parliamentary questions 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: what definition his Department uses for (a) uncollectable and (b) collectable Child Support Agency arrears; and if he will make a statement. (102240) what definitions his Department uses for unpaid Child Support Agency maintenance that is (a) probably uncollectable and (b) possibly uncollectable; and if he will make a statement. (102242) The Agency undertakes an annual debt analysis exercise to establish the collectability of amounts outstanding. This analysis produces three categories of amounts outstanding – collectable, possibly uncollectable and probably uncollectable, which are the equivalents of good, doubtful and bad debts in commercial organisations. As stated in the Agency’s Annual Report and Accounts 2005-06, note 5.7, these are defined as: Collectable Amount outstanding that the debt analysis exercise revealed is likely to be collected. This takes into account factors such as regular contact with the non-resident parent, where regular payments are being made or an arrears agreement has been set up. Possibly Uncollectable Amounts outstanding that the debt analysis exercise revealed some uncertainty over whether it will be collected. The amounts are considered doubtful where, for example, payments have been infrequent or it has not been possible to establish an arrears agreement or impose a deduction of earning order. Probably Uncollectable Amount outstanding that the debt analysis exercise revealed, is likely to be very difficult to collect due, for example, to the lack of contact with, or the personal circumstance of, the non-resident parent. The amount of debt categorised a probably uncollectable in the Agency Annual Report and Accounts also includes the value of suspended debt, which is classified as probably uncollectable for this exercise. I hope this information is helpful.