Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 13
13
The NAO found that parents from some minority groups, such as Black, African, Caribbean or...
Conclusion
The NAO found that parents from some minority groups, such as Black, African, Caribbean or Black British parents, are less likely to use the CMS scheme. However, the Department has not conducted research into why this might be or whether there is any indirect racial discrimination.17 Race is a ‘protected characteristic’ and under the Public Sector Equality Duty, which came into force in April 2011, public authorities are required, among other duties, to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not.18 However the Department told us that it had no plans to do any research into why take-up is lower amongst certain groups, and that its focus was on increasing general awareness of the CMS. We were therefore not convinced that the Department’s approach focuses enough on why take- up is lower amongst specific groups, such as Black women and were concerned that this was indicative of a lack of curiosity on the Department’s part. The Department informed us that it needed to increase the ethnicity declaration rate (which it reports as 75%) to improve the data on which it could base analysis, and would reflect on whether it has any plans to make it higher.19 We raised concerns that the Department excludes certain types of customers, such as non-English speakers, from its customer satisfaction research on its CMS scheme ‘for practical purposes’. The Department told us that it would take away our request to commit do some research that includes non-English speaking parents, including on why they may not use the service.20 17 Qq 22–23; C&AG’s Report paras 1.23–1.24 18 Comptroller and Auditor General: Employment Support- Kickstart, session 2021–22, 26 November 2021, HC 801. Footnote 32 to paragraph 3.12 19 Qq 23–31; C&AG’s Report, para 1.24 20 Qq 77 and 78; The Department’s published Child Maintenance Service Client Satisfaction: Background information and methodology, December 2016, page 3. Child Maintenance
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
2b. PAC Recommendation: The Department should: • to support this, undertake more inclusive research to understand its customers and users of its service. It should ensure people who do not communicate in English are included in its research and establish why under-represented groups, such as some minority ethnic groups, seem less likely to use the CMS scheme 2.5 The government disagrees with the recommendation. 2.6 Improvements have already been made to the collection of diversity information via the online application process. Customer surveys can be undertaken in languages other than English, and the department will explore how it can improve diversity information via monitoring of customer characteristics and exploiting existing survey and administrative data. 2.7 In regard to recommendation 2b, the department produces annual statistics on separated families including proportions with statutory and non-statutory arrangements. 2.8 Given the increase in demand for the CMS, the department does not see the need for new research at this time. It will undertake further internal analysis if demand stabilises or subsides.