TWO Scottish MPs have written to the chair of Westminster’s work and pensions committee urging him to launch an inquiry into the “rape clause” included in the Tories’ proposed benefit reforms.

Mhairi Black – a member of the select committee – and Alison Thewliss have formally asked its Labour chairman Frank Field to initiate an inquiry.

The Tories want to restrict tax credits to the first two children in a family from April, unless a third child is born as a result of rape. It has been criticised by women’s charities and rape campaigners, but the Government has not said how they expect women to prove a child has been conceived through rape.

The MPs noted that the Department for Work and Pensions had chosen to release their response to the public consultation on a good day to bury bad news. “Disappointingly, ministers chose to use President Trump’s inauguration day to bury its response to a hugely controversial policy proposal, which has the potential to cause untold stress to vulnerable families and rape survivors,” they said.

The MPs highlight a televised discussion about the policy reforms and the two-child policy, and the appearance on the Victoria Derbyshire Show of Tory MP for Gloucester Richard Graham.

“During his contribution, Mr Graham indicated that he thought it would be very likely the Work and Pensions select committee might be willing to look more closely at this matter,” they said. “To that end, we would like to formally request that the select committee initiates an inquiry into this proposal.”