UK Parliament / Open data

Contracting Out (Functions Relating to Child Support) Order 2006

My Lords, I am not going to comment on that but I will write to the noble Lord with more details. I understand that they were a selection of cases from all over the country, and I still define ““the country”” as Scotland, Wales and England. As the noble Lord knows, Ireland is a special case with a special Child Support Agency, but I will send him more details. What we learnt from the pilots gives us confidence in what we are now going to do. When I have raised the change of address issue with officials and the agency, the agency has not been convinced of the benefits. I will raise it again with the agency and will ask it to look at it in conjunction with the overall Henshaw review. We can clearly make a number of changes alongside the Henshaw review to make the whole process easier to administer, and we will be considering those. In any case, some negative orders will be coming through shortly and they could be seen in that context. As I said, I will refer this matter back so that the agency can consider it further. I cannot offer to let the noble Lord see the draft contracts or the consultant’s report, as I am reliably informed that they are commercially sensitive. However, as we progress with this work, I will find opportunities to report back to the House. I am confident and hopeful that we will be able to report positive outcomes from this work. If it is effective, that will significantly enhance the work of the agency. On Question, Motion agreed to.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

683 c719-20 

Session

2005-06

Chamber / Committee

House of Lords chamber
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