Over 1,000 families in Edinburgh still waiting for child support payments.

9.29.09pm GMT Wed 1st Nov 2006

Lib Dem Kevin Lang believes the Government must act now to clear the child support back log.

Liberal Democrats in Edinburgh have demanded action from the Labour Government after new figures revealed over one thousand families across Edinburgh are still waiting for their child support to be paid.

New figures released by the Department of Work and Pensions reveal that across Edinburgh there is a backlog of 1,270 Child Support Agency cases. Across Scotland, 17,390 Child Support Agency cases remain outstanding.

Earlier this year, the Government was forced to abandon the beleaguered Child Support Agency (CSA) after a long campaign, calling for the failing agency to be scrapped. The Government is expected to announce details of the replacement agency later in the year.

Edinburgh Liberal Democrat MP, John Barrett said, "It is unacceptable that over a thousand families across Edinburgh are being held in limbo by an agency that continues to fail the very people it was designed to help.

"These latest figures simply underline the fact that the agency is spiralling out control. Ministers need to urgently get to grips with the situation and get the money to those families who need it most."

Liberal Democrat Westminster candidate for Edinburgh North & Leith, Kevin Lang added, "It is disgraceful that despite all the promises of action from Labour, over 1,000 families in Edinburgh are still owed money. Any new system introduced by the Government to deal with child support must learn from and not repeat the mistakes of the CSA. What we need is a radical overhaul of the entire child support system so that families get the money they are owed and deserve."

THE FACTS

1. According to figures published by the Department of Work and Pensions, there are 17,390 Child Support Agency cases outstanding in Scotland. Across the Edinburgh Parliamentary constituencies the figure is 1,270.

2. The average time it takes to deal with a case is now 494 days, a month longer than at the end of the last quarter.

3. The CSA now has £3.5 billion of uncollected debts; £1.9 billion of which it believes is probably uncollectable.

4. The cost of administering the CSA was £465.2 million, £39.8 million more than last year.