Scottish Government meetings on potentially mitigating the two child benefit limit: FOI release

Information requested

1. Confirmation of whether or not the Scottish Government requested access to the necessary information/data from the UK Government in order to mitigate the two child cap between May 2021 to 3rd July 2024. 

2. Confirmation as to whether or not the Scottish Government has ever requested data or information from the UK Government for the purpose of seeking to mitigate the two child benefit cap.

In other words, before May 2021 had official contact been made to seek the data the Deputy FM referred to. 

If so please reveal the date and time and a copy of the correspondence that contains the request for the data.

3. How many Scottish government meetings were held regarding potentially mitigating the two child cap in 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021.

In other words the number of meetings held by officials or by cabinet secretaries specifically regarding work to mitigate the two child benefit cap per year since the beginning of Parliament in May 2021.

4. Confirmation of how many times the Scottish Government has requested a cost analysis of mitigating the two child cap since May 2021. 

In other words how many times has the government requested a cost estimation of the mitigating the two child benefit cap since May 2021.

5. The total amount of money the Scottish Government has spent on research into mitigating the two child cap since May 2021

Response

The answer to question 3 is eight. Eight meetings were held in 2024 regarding mitigating the two child limit, zero meetings were held in the other years.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you requested relating to questions 1,2,4 and 5.

As the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice confirmed at Committee on 9 January in answer to a question from Paul O'Kane we have not asked the UK Government for powers to mitigate the two-child limit in the past. Consequently, we have not previously asked for this information.

The reasons why we don't have the information are explained in the Annex to this letter.

Annex

The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. 

Question 1

The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because we did not request access to the necessary information/data from the UK Government in order to mitigate the two child limit between May 2021 to 3 July 2024.

Question 2

The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because we did not request data or information from the UK Government for the purpose of seeking to mitigate the two child benefit limit before May 2021.

Question 4
I have interpreted your question as referring to how many times the Scottish Government have requested a cost analysis of mitigating the two child limit since May 2021 from external organisations such as UK Government. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because Scottish Government does not request external cost analyses from external organisations on policies that we wish to implement. However as part of the budget process the Scottish Fiscal Commission published forecast costs of mitigating the two-child limit in Scotland. This was published on 7 January 2025.

Question 5
The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because we have not commissioned any research externally into mitigating the two child limit since May 2021. As part of normal duties, colleagues within Scottish Government Policy have conducted research as part of their core duties. As such, I hereby provide you with formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.