Letter from the NI CSA - paternity testing
This was in response to a request (below) under the Freedom of Information Act.
 |
|
|
Mr Barry Pearson |
www.dsdni.gov.uk Telephone: 028 9047 6011 Date 2nd September 2005 |
Dear Mr Pearson
Freedom of Information Act 2000
I am writing to confirm that the Department has now completed its search for the information you requested on 22nd August 2005.
A copy of the information is enclosed.
Some points of information that should be considered when these figures are being examined:
- The reporting year is from 1st April to 31st March of the following year
- Cases registered in one year may produce results in the following year
- In many of the cases registered for DNA tests, the Non Resident Parent did not attend for the test. Therefore there are no test results. These cases were then considered for court action to pursue the paternity issue.
(Details of what to do if unsatisfied with this response have been removed for conciseness).
Yours sincerely
Cathal O'Dolan
Northern Ireland Child Support Agency,
Great North Tower,
17 Great Victoria Street,
BELFAST BT2 7AD
Northern Ireland Child Support Agency
DNA test referrals & results 1997 - 2005
| Year |
Apr 97 - Mar 98 |
Apr 98 - Mar 99 |
Apr 99 - Mar 00 |
Apr 00 - Mar 01 |
Apr 01 - Mar 02 |
Apr 02 - Mar 03 |
Apr 03 - Mar 04 |
Apr 04 - Mar 05 |
Apr 05 - Jul 05 |
| Referred for DNA test |
113 |
161 |
106 |
158 |
125 |
132 |
43 |
21 |
1 |
| Result of DNA test - Positive |
63 |
70 |
64 |
73 |
62 |
77 |
42 |
20 |
0 |
| Result of DNA test - Negative |
17 |
12 |
13 |
19 |
4 |
18 |
4 |
6 |
0 |
My original request for information
(my address removed)
19th August 2005
Dear Sir
Please supply the following information, according to the Freedom Of Information Act.
Please tell me the number of DNA paternity tests performed each year, for Northern Ireland CSA cases, since the NI CSA's paternity testing system began. And, for each year, the number of these tests, or the percentage of them, that proved paternity.
It is acceptable to supply the numbers for 12-month periods other than calendar years, for example according to the NI CSA's annual reporting cycle. If so, please identify the cycle. And it is acceptable to supply the number, or the percentage, which disproved rather than proved paternity.
(For interest, this is similar to information in the Great Britain CSA's annual report of 1997-98, and similar to information supplied in a written answer in Parliament about that time. I have already received corresponding information for Great Britain from the GB CSA, covering 1998/9 up to the present).
Thank you.
Yours faithfully
Barry Pearson