Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what date his Department conducted the Equality Impact Assessment on the non-consensual sex exemption and two child limit for tax credits and universal credit; and if he will publish that assessment.

The overall policy to restrict Universal Credit support for children to two children or qualifying young persons was introduced by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. The Government assessed the impact on equality of the policies introduced by that Act at the time, thus meeting its obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty. We have also taken account of that duty during the formulation of the exceptions.