Tories seek 'full facts' on CSA

The Conservatives have called on ministers to spell out their plans for the Child Support Agency.

Reports in the Sunday papers suggested the future of the agency, which has been struggling to cope with a huge backlog of cases amid serious computer problems and complex legislative requirements, could now be in doubt.

The CSA's chief executive is reporting to ministers on how they should respond to the current problems.

And shadow work and pensions secretary Philip Hammond said the recommendations should be published immediately.

Ministers are expected to announce in the coming week how they intend to proceed.

The CSA currently has around 330,000 cases left unprocessed, while just 61 per cent of maintenance is being paid correctly.

Some £3bn of arrears remains uncollected while complains about performance have soared.

"For the future of the CSA to be satisfactorily resolved we must have the full facts," said Hammond.

"We must know whether the problem is simply incompetence and poor IT systems, or whether it goes deeper.

"There has been a mounting catalogue of mismanagement and chaos over the last few years, which questions the credibility of the basic structure of the system.

"This cannot be allowed to continue for the sake of those who are missing out on essential child support payments as well as suffering enormous frustration in trying to communicate with the agency."