Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish their response to the Mental Capacity Act: Small Payments Scheme, which closed on 12 January, to help disabled families access Child Trust Funds.

We are preparing the Government's response to the consultation and are aiming to provide an update to the House in the near future. The consultation exposed a number of issues which warranted further consideration, especially in relation to the design, security, simplicity and effectiveness of a scheme when compared to existing processes. In the meantime we have been collaborating with the Court of Protection to improve access to payments under current legislation, and pilot processes and documentation are currently being developed.