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SERPS
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the basis on which the estimate of the cost of SERPS changes was made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security, reported in the House of Lords Official Report of 11 October 1991, column 31. [95532]
Mr. Rooker: I refer my right hon. Friend to the Written Answer my hon. Friend, the then Minister of State, gave the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Rendel) on 22 March 1999, Official Report, column 103.
Chief Child Support Officer Report
Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the Chief Child Support Officer's annual report for 1998-99. [96728]
Angela Eagle:
The annual report of the Chief Child Support Officer for the year 1998-99 is published today. This report provides information, based on monitoring of decision making in the Child Support Agency during 1998-99, on standards of decision making and levels of accuracy in the assessment of child support liability. The report indicates that, although substantial progress has been made there is still cause for concern about standards of decision making in child support. The Chief Child
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Support Officer's analysis of the causes of the inaccuracy in the scheme is a valuable contribution to the process of reform. In particular the report highlights the damaging effect the excessive complexity of the current maintenance formula.
The report shows that, of the assessments examined in 1998-99, fewer than one in five were definitely wrong in cash terms. In a further 22 per cent. there was insufficient evidence to tell whether the assessment was right or not. Overall, 60 per cent. were definitely correct in money terms, a slight rise from the 59 per cent. achieved in the previous year.
We expect to see continuing progress both as the result of continued efforts by Child Support Agency staff and as the provisions in the Social Security Act 1998 are implemented. It is clear that radical reform is the only real solution and the White Paper "A new contract for Welfare: Children's Rights and Parents' Responsibilities" sets out our proposals for a simple straightforward and transparent child support scheme.
Mr. Miller:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what help will be available from the benefits system for people exercising the right to parental leave. [96730]
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Mr. Bayley:
New rights to unpaid parental leave will be introduced from 15 December 1999. Under existing benefit rules a lone parent who is working will be able to qualify for Income Support while taking parental leave from their employer provided that they meet the normal qualifying conditions. This will also be the case for parents who are able to qualify for Income Support on sickness or other grounds. Some parents may be able to qualify for other benefits such as Housing Benefit or Jobseekers Allowance if they can meet the normal conditions. Precise numbers of people who claim in these circumstances will depend upon how many people decide to exercise their right to take up parental leave. We estimate there could be around 8,000 people per year who will claim under existing benefit rules, at an additional cost of some £10 million.
We also propose to change Income Support rules to make Income Support available for couples who would not otherwise qualify while on parental leave. The change will apply to couples on a low income who are exercising the new rights to statutory unpaid parental leave to care for a child who lives with them. Income Support will be available when the only earner is taking unpaid parental leave and the family is in receipt of either Working Families Tax Credit, Disabled Persons Tax Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit on the day before the parental leave is taken. (Where both members of the couple work, Income Support will be available if both take statutory unpaid parental leave at the same time). Our latest estimate is that about 1,000 people per year will claim Income Support under these new provisions, at a cost of £1.5 million.
We are committed to helping families achieve a balance between their home and work lives. This measure will support the new parental leave entitlements in the Employment Rights Act and help low income families take up their statutory entitlement.
Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral answer on 25 October 1999, Official Report, column 698, how many parents with care his Department anticipates will have their entitlement to maintenance reduced under the proposed changes to the CSA; and by what amount. [96057]
Angela Eagle:
The purpose of the reforms is to get maintenance flowing more regularly to more children. Overall more than 1 million children will be better off as the changes take effect.
If all existing cases moved to the new scheme today, average maintenance liability for non-resident parents in work would fall from around £38 now to an estimated £30.50. On this basis about 350,000 parents with care, whose non-resident parent is in paid work, would have a lower maintenance assessment as a result of the new child support rates. The average reduction would be about £17 a week. 190,000 parents with care would have a higher assessment, with average increases of around £11.50 a week 1 . Changes will be phased in for existing cases.
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But assessments bear little relationship to amounts paid. Fewer than half of those using the CSA's collection service are paying everything that is due. Overall only around 66 per cent. of maintenance due is collected. We expect this to rise to 80 per cent. or more.
In addition all parents with care who are on Income Support, for whom maintenance is being paid, will benefit from the child maintenance premium. Over time, we expect the number in this position at least to double as a result of the new simpler scheme. Parents with care receiving Working Families Tax Credit will have any maintenance payments fully ignored.
Taking these factors into account the effect of the reform will be to make around 85 per cent. of parents with care better off at the point they first come to the CSA than they would have been under the previous arrangements.
Mr. Ron Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additions were made to the Welsh Block in respect of 1999-2000 after the announcement of the last CSR settlement; and to which expenditure heads within the Welsh Block such additions were allocated. [94790]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given by my predecessor on 14 December 1998, Official Report, column 391.
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what requests he has received in relation to match funding for EU Structural Funds from the First Secretary. [96554]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
I hold regular meetings with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales. We have discussed a range of issues, including Structural Funds support in Wales, and I am aware of the importance of the issue.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Solicitor-General if he (a) has established and (b) published a baseline for policy appraisal against which to measure progress on equal treatment. [94863]
The Solicitor-General:
The Government are committed to ensuring its policies are fair and inclusive, and focus on public service users, not providers. This aim is contained in guidance (published in 1998) which helps Departments consider the impact of their policies on gender, ethnicity and disability. In addition to considering impact, the guidance encourages consultation with women's groups and others where appropriate and action
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to deal with any differential impact if this appears appropriate. The CPS applies the principles enshrined in the guidance in developing its policies. For example responsibility for providing a co-ordinated service to witnesses is shared by all agencies in the Criminal Justice System.
The Crown Prosecution Service works together with others in the Criminal Justice System to implement the Trial Issues Group National Standards of Witness Care in the Criminal Justice System via Local Service Level Agreements to ensure the special needs of witnesses are catered for.
Mr. Allan:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current average processing time for applications for indefinite leave to remain by people seeking settlement in the United Kingdom. [95549]
Mrs. Roche:
The information requested is not available.
The time taken to process an application for indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom is affected by a number of factors, including the complexity of individual
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cases. About half the applications for variation of leave, which includes applications for indefinite leave to remain, can be dealt with as "fast track" cases. Such cases are at present being determined within six weeks, but applications where further inquiries are needed may take considerably longer. Streamlined procedures are, however, being introduced throughout the Integrated Casework Directorate to speed up the consideration of all applications.
1 New scheme maintenance modelled on August 1998 five per cent. scan of Child Support Computer System. Caseloads calibrated to forecast 'A' day levels, and rounded to the nearest 10,000. The average change in maintenance entitlement is rounded to the nearest 50 pence.
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