National Disability Strategy 2022-11-30
2022-11-30
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The High Court declared the national disability strategy unlawful in January 2022, and the Government have been granted permission to appeal this declaration. The question arises from a need for compliance with court orders.
What recent progress has the Government made on implementing the national disability strategy?
In January 2022, the High Court declared the national disability strategy unlawful. We have been granted permission to appeal this declaration, but to ensure compliance with the Court's declaration we are obliged to pause a number of the policies referred to in the strategy or are directly connected with it.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Research from Scope indicates that life costs more for people who are disabled, and 91% of those surveyed are worried about energy bills this winter. The UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed over the weekend.
Would the Minister work with his cross-departmental colleagues to revise the eligibility criteria for the warm home discount to reinstate eligibility for the 300,000 disabled welfare claimants?
I am very grateful to the hon. Member for his question. It is fair to say that this is a Government who have consistently been supporting people during the significant cost of living challenges that they face. Of course, we have the energy price guarantee, which is a significant part of that package, but I am sure that Ministers in Departments across Government would be very happy to engage with him on the particular point he raises about the warm home discount.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister acknowledges the cost-of-living challenges and mentions the energy price guarantee without directly addressing the specific request for revising eligibility criteria for disabled welfare claimants.
Under Consideration
Engage With Him On The Particular Point
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
A key challenge for many young people with disabilities is getting assessments to determine their conditions, such as autism. A constituent has been told they must wait up to 18 months for an assessment.
Is there an opportunity in the national disability strategy to better enable and fund the accessibility—and accelerate the completion—of those assessments?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this important point. The autism strategy is in place, having had a refresh launched in July 2021 and £74 million of funding in the first year. With the first year having concluded, we will publish our second implementation plan to make further progress on delivering the actions in the strategy. As part of the deliberations on that, we will consider the interesting point that he raises.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister acknowledges the importance of the issue but does not provide a direct commitment or timeline for improving accessibility and accelerating assessments.
Considering This
Deliberations On That
Response accuracy