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24 Jan 2007 : Column 1868Wcontinued
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.
The number of agency people working on the National Helpline who have access to both computer systems and those who have access to the CSCS only | ||||||
January 2006 | February 2006 | March 2006 | April 2006 | May 2006 | June 2006 | |
July 2006 | August 2006 | September 2006 | October 2006 | November 2006 | December 2006 | |
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. [113555]
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. [113559]
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 |
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 Agencys 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; [102240]
(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. [102242]
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 Agencys 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.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what definition of poverty for older people is used by (a) his Department and (b) the EU. [115915]
James Purnell: The Department does not have a single official measure of poverty for older people. Specific information regarding low income is available in Households Below Average Income 1994-95 -2004-05. The threshold of below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income is the most commonly used in reporting trends in low income.
Indicators of material well being, including income and wealth, are reported on as part of the Governments Opportunity for All strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion, and as part of Opportunity Age, its strategy for an ageing society.
The agreed EU definition of the risk of poverty among the elderly is the proportion of people aged 65 and over with an equivalised income of less than 60 per cent. of the overall median equivalised income, calculated separately for each member state. This differs from the Departments measure of low income which takes into account all pensioners, that is, includes women aged 60-64, and looks at income both before and after housing costs.
The EU also reports on a number of other indicators of income and living conditions, reflecting the fact that having an income below the 60 per cent. of median income threshold is not the only indicator of poverty.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job vacancies were notified to the jobcentre in Peterborough constituency in each month since May 1997. [114854]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The available information is in the following table.
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