David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of mailshots carried out to child benefit recipients in the past five years; the dates on which these mailshots occurred; the cost of same respectively; the number and percentage of letters which were returned on each of the respective dates; the action he has taken as a result of such returns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23247/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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A total of 6 mailshots have issued to Child Benefit recipients in the past 5 years, resulting in some EUR 22m being saved. A single claim termination can result in annual savings of up to EUR 10,000.

Use of mailshots is one of a number of communications methods used by my Department. Apart from informing customers of developments which affect them, there is also a significant control benefit to the Department from these mailshots. Each mailshot issued to date has resulted in a significant number of letters being returned undelivered by An Post, thus indicating that the customer is not at the address notified to the Department. The customer may simply have moved address and not notified the Department or alternatively could have left the country, in which case Child Benefit may no longer be payable.

Details of the mailshots and resultant action are as follows: July 2001 — A mailshot issued to all Child Benefit customers informing them of budget changes and information concerning the upcoming EURO conversion and how it would affect their pension payments. The total number of forms issued was 511,000 at a cost of £219,498. Over 10,000 letters were returned undelivered by An Post as the customer was not at the address. Subsequent investigation of these cases resulted in 353 claims being terminated as the whereabouts of the customer could not be established.

In July 2002 and again in July 2003, a mailshot was issued to Child Benefit customers being paid by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT), informing them of recent budget rate changes. A total of 171,000 customers was contacted. The total cost was £68,773.00 in 2002 and EUR 72, 618 in 2003. As a result of these mailshots over 5,000 letters were returned. Following investigation, 605 claims were terminated as the customer was found to have either left the state or their whereabouts could not be established.

In August 2004, an information mailshot issued to the then 195,580 EFT-paid customers informing them of the most recent rates increases. The total cost was EUR 83,950. A total of 6,186 letters was returned undelivered. On investigation of these cases some 1,065 claims were terminated.

During 2005 a targeted mailshot was issued, for control purposes, to a group of over 10,000 customers to confirm their residency status. The cost of this was EUR 5,993. A total of 816 letters was returned and after investigation some 250 claims were terminated.

In April 2006, an information leaflet issued from the Department, under the aegis of the Office of the Minister for Children, to the 259,000 Child Benefit customers who will qualify for the Early Childcare Supplement (ECS). This provided information to customers regarding claim and payment arrangements in connection with the scheme. The total cost of this was EUR 135,000. To date 4,500 letters have been returned and investigations are ongoing to establish the present position of these customers.