Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to increase transparency in her Department.

We want to be more open about the work taken forward within the department. We will continue to look at what information can be shared to further increase transparency, taking into consideration constraints that we can’t ignore, such as protecting personal customer information, and policy development and other risks.

A great example of increasing transparency can be seen with the work the department is taking forward to continue building on the information it started publishing in its Annual Report and Accounts two years ago. Detailing the work of its Advanced Customer Support Teams, and the support for vulnerable customers.

To further increase transparency in this area we will soon be releasing two separate publications. One publication will see us release Internal Process Review information for the first time, showing the learning and improvements taken forward from the departments most serious cases. The second is a publication that highlights and explains how DWP, specifically through its Advanced Customer Support teams, is delivering support for vulnerable customers and the improvements that were delivered to help those who require additional support.