The government is aware that the exceptions to the policy to limit the child element in Universal Credit and the individual element in Child Tax Credit to a maximum of two children are sensitive. We contacted a number of organisations in August 2015 and met with several of those organisations in early 2016 to discuss the exceptions. Officials have also discussed this issue between government departments and at wider DWP and HMRC stakeholder meetings.<\/p>
The government launched a consultation on 21 October 2016 to seek evidence and invite views from stakeholders to inform the design of the exceptions and their implementation. All Ministers with an interest are consulted as part of the clearance process for any Government consultation. The consultation document is published online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/universal-credit-and-child-tax-credit-exceptions-to-the-2-child-limit<\/p>
The consultation closes on 27 November 2016.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3969", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Damian Hinds"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Damian Hinds"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "50010"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-11-01T12:02:30.64Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Child Tax Credit"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Ministers and (b) officials of the Department for Work and Pensions on plans to exempt women who have a third or subsequent child as a result of rape from the Government's plan to limit tax credits to two children per family.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4430", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alison Thewliss"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Glasgow Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alison Thewliss"} ], "uin" : "50087"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/621047", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/621047/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The average time taken by Benefit Directors to respond to hon. Members\u2019 correspondence so far this calendar year is 12 working days.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3969", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Damian Hinds"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Damian Hinds"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-10-28T13:05:20.127Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Members: Correspondence"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken is by the Benefit Director in his Department to reply to hon. Members' correspondence.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/316", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Winnick"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Winnick"} ], "uin" : "50104"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/621048", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/621048/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Letters from MPs, raising concerns on behalf of their constituents, are allocated to the DWP Complaints and Correspondence Team to investigate and draft a response on behalf of DWP. DWP has procedures in place for handling correspondence from Ministers and MPs.<\/p>
DWP has answered 4264 pieces of correspondence in relation to Benefits from MPs so far this calendar year, so the Benefits Director has authority to delegate cases to other DWP Directors to reply to hon. Members.<\/p>
However, the Benefits Director will be aware of all types of enquiries coming into DWP.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3969", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Damian Hinds"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Damian Hinds"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-10-28T13:04:26.6Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Members: Correspondence"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what procedure is in place for the Benefits Director in his Department to send written replies to letters from hon. Members writing on behalf of constituents.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/316", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Winnick"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Winnick"} ], "uin" : "50105"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 3, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }