Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) has dealt with in the last twelve months for which data are available; in what proportion of those cases has a member of staff in the FIU been tasked with identifying assets and income of those alleged to be hiding such income or assets from the Child Maintenance Service; and how many such cases are outstanding as of 1 May 2018.

The Child Maintenance Service can confirm for the period of April 2017 to March 2018 the Financial Investigations Unit (FIU) received 5746 referrals; during the same period FIU staff have undertaken 3802 investigations relating to total Income/Assets investigations. Our current Work on Hand figure as of 1 May 2018 is 2872 many of which will relate to total Income/Asset Investigations.