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War Pensions
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many former service personnel are currently receiving war pensions due to exposure to asbestos in disability bands (a) 20 per cent. to 39 per cent., (b) 40 per cent. to 60 per cent., (c) 60 per cent., and (d) 100 per cent; [4811]
(2) how many former service personnel are currently receiving a war pension attributable to exposure to asbestos. [4812]
(3) what is the total annual payment to former service personnel in war pensions due to exposure to asbestos. [4813]
12 Dec 1995 : Column: 622
Mr. Heald: The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the saving to public funds in each of the last five financial years which has resulted from not disregarding war pensions in assessment of income support payments. [5639]
Mr. Roger Evans: The figures set out in the table represent the additional costs which would have been incurred over the five-year period.
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| Financial year | £ million |
| 1991-92 | 30 |
| 1992-93 | 20 |
| 1993-94 | 35 |
| 1994-95 | 30 |
| 1995-96 | 35 |
Estimates are rounded to the nearest £5 million and relate to the benefit levels in that financial year.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current policy of the Child Support Agency to improve the level of return of assessment forms; and what changes are planned in the near future. [3521]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Mr. John Spellar, dated 11 December 1995:
12 Dec 1995 : Column: 623
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State about improving the return of Maintenance Application Forms (MAFs) and Maintenance Enquiry Forms (MEFs).
Due to the nature of child support work, and varying levels of co-operation, reaching a full maintenance assessment will, on average, involve a period of months rather than weeks. There may be a degree of non-cooperation from some absent parents and several parties are often involved, some of whose financial circumstances can be complex. Some delays can be attributed to the time taken by clients to return their forms despite our reminders, but we are currently aiming to complete the maintenance assessment process within 26 weeks for 60% of cases and are progressing well towards this target.
The Agency has already introduced a number of operational improvements to ensure that straightforward cases, in which both parents co-operate with the Agency, are cleared quickly. In addition, greater use is now made of staff working in local child support offices to deal with the collection and verification of information, and the resolution of queries and discrepancies.
Where an absent parent fails to return the MEF even after receiving reminders, the Agency can make an Interim Maintenance Assessment (IMA), usually of a higher amount than that made where an absent parent returns a fully completed form. This often prompts either the return of the completed MEF or at least some co-operation. If necessary though an IMA can be collected by a Deduction from Earnings Order (DEO) direct from the absent parent's salary. Imposing a DEO in these circumstances often results in the completed MEF being returned and for many months we have placed increased emphasis on this work.
A legislative change was introduced in April 1995 to encourage absent parents to co-operate with the Agency. Liability for child maintenance normally commences from the date a MEF is issued, but if the completed MEF is returned within 4 weeks, the absent parent's liability will be 8 weeks after MEF issue.
Ms Lynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each month since April 1993 the amount of maintenance owed to the Child Support Agency indicating the amount attributable to (a) interim maintenance assessments and (b) full maintenance assessments. [4095]
Finally we are making increasing use of the telephone as a point of contact with clients to follow up enquiries and resolve queries. This way of doing business is proving to be very effective in speeding up all our processes, not least the return of MAFs and MEFs.
I hope this is helpful.
Mr. Mitchell: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 11 December 1995:
Ms Lynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update his answer of 18 May 1995, Official Report, column 331, to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East (Mr. Timms) concerning maintenance assessments, by reference to the most recent data from the case load of the Child Support Agency. [4172]
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency maintenance assessments.
You asked for a list by month since April 1993 of the amount of maintenance owed to the Agency. Although it is not currently possible to provide this breakdown, overall figures show that as at the end of September 1995, maintenance amounting to £738.4 million was owed to the Agency. This figure includes arrears amounting to £100 million that have been rescheduled for future payment. Approximately 65% of the total (£480 million) related to interim maintenance assessments.
I hope this is helpful.
Mr. Mitchell: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 11 December 1995:
(15) Includes Category 'B' interim maintenance assessments.
(16) Excludes Category 'B' interim maintenance assessments.
Category 'B' interim maintenance assessments are made when insufficient information has been provided about the partners of the AP, PWC or about some other member of their household.
12 Dec 1995 : Column: 624
Note: From the May scan the number of cases on IVB, SB, and UB is not known. Therefore this table varies from that which is updating.
Net income from employment is gross pay less income tax and NI contributions. Average net income is mean for APs with income from employment.
12 Dec 1995 : Column: 625
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency maintenance assessments.
You asked for an update concerning child support maintenance assessments. The figures you require are provided in the tables shown on the attached pages and are based on a 5% sample of cases carried out on 31 May 1995. The table showing the benefit status of parents with care and absent parents has been amended to reflect fully assessed cases only, which gives a more accurate picture.
I hope this is helpful.
Maintenance assessments £ per week 000s Percentage
Full maintenance assessments(15)
AP not on income support
All cases -- 196.0 100.0
Average maintenance 34.38 -- --
£0 -- 23.3 11.9
£0.01-£2.35 -- 28.2 14.4
£2.36-£5.00 -- 2.8 1.4
£5.01-£9.99 -- 5.2 2.7
£10.00-£19.99 -- 13.6 6.9
£20.00-£29.99 -- 16.9 8.6
£30.00-£39.99 -- 20.7 10.5
£40.00-£49.99 -- 24.2 12.3
£50.00-£59.99 -- 22.0 11.2
£60.00-£69.99 -- 17.2 8.8
£70.00-£79.99 -- 10.7 5.5
£80.00-£89.99 -- 6.2 3.1
£90.00-£99.99 -- 2.7 1.4
£100-£109.99 -- 1.2 0.6
£110-£119.99 -- 0.5 0.3
£120+ -- 0.7 0.4
Full maintenance assessments(15)
AP on income support
All cases -- 90.2 100.0
Average maintenance 0.90 -- --
£0 -- 54.3 60.2
£2.20 -- 11.2 12.4
£2.30 -- 22.5 24.9
£2.35 -- 2.2 2.5
Interim maintenance assessments(16)
All cases -- 92.9 100
Average maintenance 95.85 -- --
£0.00-£29.99 -- 0.4 0.4
£30.00-£39.99 -- 1.5 1.6
£40.00-£49.99 -- 3.4 3.7
£50.00-£59.99 -- 9.1 9.8
£60.00-£69.99 -- 3.1 3.3
£70.00-£79.99 -- 2.9 3.1
£80.00-£89.99 -- 1.7 1.9
£90.00-£99.99 -- 32.5 35.0
£100-£109.99 -- 13.5 14.5
£110-£119.99 -- 13.2 14.2
£120+ -- 11.7 12.6
All figures are estimates based on 5 per cent. sample taken from the Child Support Computer System on 31 May 1995.
Absent parents Parents with care Total Earned income Income support Other
Income support 237.1 128.3 79.4 29.5
FAMC/DWA 30.9 19.2 8.2 3.4
Others 18.2 14.0 2.5 1.6
Total 286.2 161.5 90.2 34.5
Absent parents £ per week 000's Percentage
All absent parents -- 262.2 100.0
APs with no employment income -- 118.4 41.4
APs with employment income -- 167.8 58.6
Average net employment income 207.30 -- --
Net employment income (£ per week)
Up to £49.99 -- 9.0 3.1
£50.00-£99.99 -- 99.9 3.5
£100.00-£149.99 -- 31.4 11.0
£150.00-£199.99 -- 41.3 14.4
£200.00-£249.99 -- 31.0 10.8
£250.00-£299.99 -- 18.5 6.5
£300.00 or more -- 26.7 9.3
Ms Lynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the definition of maintenance assessment accuracy referred to in paragraph 28 of the memorandum CS 7 submitted to the Social Security Select Committee in October 1995. [4094]
Mr. Mitchell: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 11 December 1995:
Ms Lynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 24 November, Official Report, column 362, on maintenance arrears, in what circumstances provisional debt due to interim assessments may be disregarded. [4167]
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency maintenance assessment accuracy.
You asked for a statement on the definition of maintenance assessment accuracy referred to in paragraph 28 of the memorandum CS 7 submitted to the Social Security Committee in October 1995.
For a case to be accurate the assessment must be for the correct cash value and the effective date must be correct. Then number of cases found to be accurate is expressed as a proportion of the total number of cases checked in the period.
Mr. Mitchell: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 11 December 1995:
12 Dec 1995 : Column: 626
I am replying to your Parliament Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency assessments.
You asked in what circumstances provisional debt due to interim maintenance assessments may be disregarded. There are no circumstances in which IMA debt may be disregarded but one of the measures introduced in the April 1995 policy changes has a bearing on this issue.
In April 1995 the provision was introduced, that once an absent parent had provided the information required by a Child Support Officer to make a full maintenance assessment, liability under a previous IMA would revert to the FMA rate, which would normally be lower. This measure should show an improvement in compliance for IMAs and assist absent parents in meeting their regular maintenance payment liabilities.
I hope this is helpful.
Ms Lynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the number of staff dismissed from the Child Support Agency since its launch, indicating which month they were dismissed and which office they worked in. [4078]
Mr. Mitchell: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 11 December 1995:
To protect the identity of staff dismissed for misconduct, the office location has not been included in this response. I hope this is helpful.
Ms Lynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the temporary employment agencies with which the Child Support Agency has an arrangement. [4079]
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the number of staff dismissed from the Child Support Agency.
Staff can be dismissed for a variety of reasons ranging from failure to meet the required performance standards during probation, through inefficiency and up to misconduct.
The figures for staff dismissed for straight forward inefficiency are not readily available as they are not collated centrally.
The figures for staff dismissed for misconduct and the month in which the dismissal occurred are as follows:
Month Number of dismissals
May 1993 1
January 1994 1
April 1994 1
August 1994 2
September 1994 2
October 1994 1
February 1995 4
March 1995 3
April 1995 2
October 1995 1
Mr. Mitchell: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 11 December 1995:
Ms Lynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give a breakdown of the amounts of weekly maintenance demanded by the Child Support Agency using the same bandings as in his reply of 20 April 1995, Official Report, column 280, (a) in cases where there are arrears and (b) in cases where there are no arrears. [4108]
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the temporary employment agencies with which the Child Support Agency has an arrangement.
The Child Support Agency does not directly have arrangements with temporary employment agencies. Temporary employment agencies are only used to acquire casual secretarial staff on an ad hoc basis in Central London.
I hope this is helpful.
Mr. Mitchell: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
12 Dec 1995 : Column: 627
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