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10 Jan 2006 : Column 611W—continued

Child Support Agency

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the target time for the processing of Child Support Agency applications is; [17688]

(2) what percentage of Child Support Agency applications were processed within the target time in the most recent period for which figures are available; [17689]

(3) how many Child Support Agency applications are being processed; [17690]

(4) how many Child Support Agency applications being processed were received (a) more than six months ago and (b) more than one year ago; and if he will make a statement. [17691]

Mr. Plaskitt: The Child Support Agency currently has no set target for processing applications because of its current and well documented backlog position.

The available information on the volumes and time taken to process outstanding Child Support Agency applications is in the table.
Time taken to process outstanding Child Support Agency applications

Number of cases(54)
Potential new-scheme applications yet to be cleared264,000
Of which:
Received in the last six months50,000
Received between six months and a year ago35,000
Received more than a year ago96,000
Unknown(55)85,000
Old-scheme cases yet to be cleared(56)75,000
Total number of cases yet to be cleared339,000


(54) Numbers are rounded to the nearest 1,000. Numbers may not sum due to rounding.
(55) There are currently 85,000 potential new-scheme applications that have come through Job Centre Plus, which are yet to be cleared, and for which management information is not currently available.
(56) The new scheme became operational in March 2003. Therefore, all old-scheme cases yet to be cleared were, by definition, received more than a year ago.


Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) in what proportion of Child Support Agency cases no payments have ever been made in each year since 2000–01; [21434]
 
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(2) what proportion of Child Support Agency applications under the new scheme rules resulted in maintenance payments being made in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [21441]

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 Hilary Reynolds, dated 10 January 2006:

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency (CSA) cases under the new CSA scheme have been (a) received, (b) cleared and (c) closed without payments being made. [21437]

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 10 January 2006:


 
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Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many Child Support Agency cases were awaiting a decision in each month between October 2004 and October 2005; [21444]

(2) what the backlog of Child Support Agency cases has been under (a) the old system and (b) the new system for each month from January 2004 to October 2005; and if he will make a statement; [21581]

(3) what the total backlog of cases awaiting processing is under the new Child Support Agency scheme calculation for each month since June 2003; and if he will make a statement. [21853]


 
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Mr. Plaskitt: 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 10 January 2006:


2005
JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptember
New Scheme259,000264,000266,000266,000265,000263,000263,000264,000261,000
Old Scheme103,00092,00087,00086,00082,00078,00076,00075,00073,000
Total Agency362,000357,000353,000352,000346,000341,000340,000339,000333,000




Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. Information for new and old-scheme cases on the new computer system is not currently available between March 2003 and December 2004, therefore volumes for this period cannot be provided.
3. At September, 32,000 old-scheme cases were suspended on the old computer system, principally because the Agency has been unable to trace the non-resident parent. Similar types of cases will also exist for both new and old-scheme cases on the new computer system, the volumes of which cannot currently be quantified.




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