Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason her Department does not have an automated system for the acknowledgement of receipt of e-mails.

Email is not recognised as a secure communication channel and the Department does not currently ask people to send personal details by email. As email is not an official communication channel, the Department does not acknowledge the receipt of contact through this medium.

The Department is committed to improving our communication with customers, whilst ensuring customer’s data is protected and is actively investigating how digital channels, including email, could be safely used for two-way communication with customers.