Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has issued to its officials to support implementation of the Family Test.

George Eustice

The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. Produced in collaboration with third sector partners from the Relationship Alliance, the guidance outlines the basis for the Family Test and provides policy officials with information on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance – Family Test Guidance. Defra has a team leading on the Family Test who collaborate with the Department for Work and Pensions.

Defra is following the guidance to embed and implement the test in the policymaking process and where the test identifies impacts on the family it will be evidenced as part of the formal Impact Assessment.