Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to his Department has been of implementing and evaluating the Help and Support for Separated Families Co-ordinated Telephone Network to date; and what estimate he has made of the future costs of that initiative.

The Help and Support for Separated Families telephone network began full operation in March 2014 and the participating organisations are:

Family Lives;

Relate;

Wikivorce; and

The National Youth Advocacy Service.

£344k of awards have been made for the co-ordinated telephony network. £344k is the maximum amount payable under the terms of the grant for the period to 31st May 2014. This covers both actual invoices paid to date and amounts not yet billed by suppliers. The evaluation of the telephony network will be carried out in-house.