Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the (a) average time and (b) target time for a substantive response to enquiries by the MP hotline.

The Department for Work and Pensions responds to enquiries received via the MP Hotline as quickly as possible.

(a) Information on the average time taken to provide a substantive response to MP Hotline enquiries is not centrally collated, as the service is primarily designed to handle urgent, non‑complex cases which are often resolved on the same day.

(b) The MP Hotline is intended for urgent enquiries requiring immediate intervention and, where appropriate, cases are responded to on the same day. Where an enquiry is more complex or requires formal investigation, the Department’s service standard (target) is to provide a full response within 15 working days.

More complex cases may take longer; however, the Department seeks to keep Honourable Members informed of progress and expected timescales.