CSA – forms for authorisation of FIU investigations etc [including for maintenance assessments].

The request was partially successful.

Dear Child Support Agency,

Please provide a copy or copies of the forms and templates for

1. the authorisation [with a box or paragraph for insertion of the information justifying issue of authorisation and the names and ranks of the authorising officers] for an investigation by the Financial Investigation Unit [FIU] for any surveillance to be lawful.

2. The request by a member of the child maintenance assessment [maintenance calculation] team for an investigation by the FIU.

3. The authorisation for the withholding of information from a Tribunal [and parties] in case it would impede any criminal or other proceedings considered or proposed by the CSA.

In a previous request [VTR 846] at point 5 it was confirmed that the FIU become involved where fraud is suspected

“ The FIU can contact anyone who has information regarding a non-resident parent, providing that person has acquired the information as part of their business, calling or trade, and that the information is required for child maintenance purposes. I should note that for this to occur, FIU would need a reason to trigger an investigation into suspected fraud in the first place”.

In another request [VTR 753] it was stated that investigations are undertaken under the Regulatory Investigation Powers Act 2000 - where for it to be lawful surveillance under the Act an authorsiataion is required.

The FoI department has also confirmed that FIU are used to collect data for the making of child maintenance calculations/assessments and are able to make revisions to child maintenance assessments. [VTR 1063]

The FoI department has also confirmed that the FIU would provide information to the Tribunal to be shared with the parties [where the FIU are involved] [VTR1063].

Please provide any information in electronic format.

Yours faithfully,

Gwynne Davies

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Child Support Agency

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been accepted by the DWP FoI mailbox.
 
By the next working day your request will be forwarded to the relevant
information owner within the Department who will respond to you direct. 
 
If your email is a Freedom of Information request you can normally
expect a response within 20 working days.
 
Should you have any further queries in connection with this request do
please contact us.
 
For further information on the Freedom of Information Act within DWP
please click on the link below.
 
[1]http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...
 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

Operations FOI Requests, Child Support Agency

2 Attachments

 
Dear G Davies
 
 
Please find attached our response to your recent Freedom of Information
request.
 
 
 
Yours sincerely
 
DWP Central Freedom of Information Team
 
 
 
 
 

show quoted sections