Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many of his Department's policies have been assessed against the family test; what steps he has taken to publish the outcome of such assessments that have been carried out; and if he will make a statement.

The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. Department for Work and Pensions published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368894/family-test-guidance.pdf

The Family Test is an integral part of the policy making process and is applied in a proportionate way in the development of all new policy in line with the Family Test guidance. While the guidance states that departments should consider publishing assessments carried out under the Test, there is no requirement to do so.