The new law requires new claimants having to prove a child has been conceived via rape if they wish to claim tax credits for more than two children.
“I have been in contact with the UK Government to investigate ways in which this can be overturned. While the General Election has returned a Government which will pursue the same policy, it has been made clear in correspondence in Northern Ireland this is a matter for the Department for Communities.
“It will be required under ‘parity’ to deliver similar outcomes, but it may choose its own guidance for implementing this – potentially allowing the ‘rape clause’ to be overturned in Northern Ireland.
“We owe it to the public to at least investigate every possible avenue to overturn a policy which would be so appalling in practice for many women. In order to do this, we will need a functioning Executive with a Communities Minister in place and the right set of priorities for delivery for the public here.”