Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether an increase in the rate of Child Benefit in Scotland under section 24 of the Scotland Act 2016 will be included in the calculations of the benefit cap.

The Scotland Act 2016 transferred substantial new welfare powers to the Scottish Parliament, including the ability to top-up any reserved UK Government benefit, create new benefits in areas of devolved responsibility and pay discretionary payments. These powers came into force on 5 September 2016.

Child Benefit remains a reserved UK Government benefit. The Scottish Government could therefore use its new top-up powers to administer separate payments to claimants who receive Child Benefit.

We are working closely with the Scottish Government on the transfer and implementation of their new employment and welfare powers and we look forward to hearing about their plans, as they introduce their Social Security Bill around June.

The benefit cap would not apply to these top-up payments made under section 24.