Annex Seeking views
Purpose of the consultation
1. This discussion document seeks views to inform our thinking on reforms to the benefits and Tax Credits system. We would like to hear from all who are interested. Subject to the outcome of this consultation, we propose to bring forward legislation early in the New Year to reform the current system.
Duration of the consultation
2. The consultation period begins on 30 July 2010 and runs until 1 October 2010.
Consultation arrangements
3. Please send your consultation responses to:
Benefit Reform Division
Department for Work and Pensions
1st Floor
Caxton House
Tothill Street
London SW1H 9NA
Email: benefit.reform@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 7449 7688
4. Please ensure your response reaches us by 1 October 2010. We will acknowledge all responses. Please say whether you are responding as an individual, or on behalf of an organisation. If on behalf of an organisation, please make clear who the organisation represents, and how the views of members were obtained.
5. Copies of this publication can be made available in alternative formats if required. We will publish the responses to the consultation in a report on the consultations section of our website www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations. The report will summarise the responses and our next steps.
Freedom of information
6. The information you send us may need to be passed to colleagues within the Department for Work and Pensions, published in a summary of responses received and referred to in the published consultation report.
7. All information contained in your response may be subject to publication or disclosure if requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. By providing personal information for the purposes of the public consultation exercise, it is understood that you consent to its disclosure and publication. If this is not the case, you should limit any personal information provided, or remove it completely. If you want the information in your response to the consultation to be kept confidential, you should explain why as part of your response, although we cannot guarantee to do this.
The consultation criteria
8. The consultation is being conducted in line with the Government Code of Practice on Consultation www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/bre/consultation-guidance/page44420.html.
The seven consultation criteria are:
- When to Consult. Formal consultation should take place at a stage when there
is scope to influence the outcome. - Duration of consultation exercises. The Government Code of Practice on Consultation recommends a minimum 12-week consultation period for public consultations, unless there are good reasons for a limited consultation period. In this case, we are consulting on general principles only. We intend to further consult on specific details as these are is developed, and therefore our Minister has agreed that a limited consultation is appropriate.
- Clarity of scope and impact. Consultation documents should be clear about the consultation process, what is being proposed, the scope to influence, and the expected costs and benefits of the proposals.
- Accessibility of consultation exercises. Consultation exercises should be designed to be accessible to, and clearly targeted at, those people the exercise is designed to reach.
- The burden of consultation. Keeping the burden of consultation to a minimum is essential if consultations are to be effective and if consultees’ buy-in to the process is to be obtained.
- Responsiveness of consultation exercises. Consultation responses should be analysed carefully and clear feedback should be provided to participants following the consultation.
- Capacity to consult. Officials running consultation exercises should seek guidance in how to run an effective consultation exercise, and share what they have learned from the experience.
9. An online version of this consultation will be available shortly after the publication. You can access this from the website: www.dwp.gov.uk/21st-century-welfare.
Feedback on this consultation
10. We value your feedback on how well we consult. If you have any comments on the process of this consultation, for example, how it could be improved, but not about the issues raised, please contact our Consultation Coordinator:
Roger Pugh
DWP Consultation Coordinator
1st Floor
Crown House
2 Ferensway
Hull HU2 8NF
Email: roger.pugh@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Impact assessment
11. The purpose of this discussion document is to inform the general direction of reform in the benefit and Tax Credits system. We are seeking views on the ideas covered by this document in order to inform the development of firm proposals. We will assess the impact of our more detailed proposals and we will produce a full Impact Assessment at the appropriate time. We will be considering equality impacts as the policy develops and we will produce an Equality Impact Assessment. During the consultation process we would welcome views on the impact of the ideas on the people covered by equality legislation to inform the Equality Impact Assessment.
