Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Disabled People in Work

Monday 11 July 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Andrew Jones thanked the Minister for the Disability Confident scheme and asked about updates on improving Access to Work.
  • The Minister confirmed that improvements to Access to Work are in progress and pilot passports have been trialed.
  • Stephen Timms questioned the Government on further steps to increase the number of disabled people in work.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Andrew Jones Con
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question arises from a commitment to increase employment among disabled people. The MP supports the Disability Confident scheme and seeks further details on how it will be promoted.

Question

My office is part of the Disability Confident scheme started by the Department. I strongly support the scheme because it encourages employers to think differently about disability, and to take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people in their workplace. How will my hon. Friend work to promote that scheme, which is a valuable tool to close the employment gap that we have already talked about today?

Answer from Chloe Smith

First, I thank my hon. Friend and any other hon. and right hon. Members who are members of that scheme, because it is incredibly important that we do that from this place as we encourage employers of all shapes and sizes to be involved in the scheme. Secondly, we will continue to promote the scheme from the Department as widely as possible through a variety of communications. Thirdly, because our goal to continue to reduce the disability employment gap remains at the forefront, we want to grow commitment and action across and outside of Government.

Partly answered

How: We Are Committed To

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Q2 Andrew Jones Con
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The Government promised improvements to the Access to Work scheme in response to a Select Committee report on November last year. The MP seeks an update on the progress of these improvements.

Question

The Government's response last November to the Select Committee's report on the disability employment gap promised key improvements to Access to Work to make it easier for people to use. Can the Minister give us an update on progress with that? Specifically, the trial of Access to Work passports started last November, so that people can take their support from one job to another. Can the Minister tell us whether that will be extended to everybody on the scheme and when we can expect that to happen?

Answer from Chloe Smith

These are incredibly important details and aspects of the Access to Work scheme, and the right hon. Gentleman is correct that those improvements are in the pipeline. We have been able to pilot a number of different passports. I will write to him with details and I am also with his Committee next week, where I can provide the precise details of that.

Partly answered

How: We Are Committed To

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Q3 Stephen Timms Lab East Ham
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question arises from the Government's commitment to increase employment among disabled people. The MP seeks further details on the range of initiatives and their effectiveness.

Question

What further steps the Government plan to take to help increase the number of disabled people in work.

Answer from Chloe Smith

As I said to the hon. Member for Motherwell and Wishaw (Marion Fellows) , we are absolutely committed to being able to continue to increase the number of disabled people in work. There is a range of Government initiatives to achieve this, including the Work and Health programme, the Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme, Access to Work, Disability Confident, and supporting partnerships with the health system.

Partly answered

How: We Are Committed To

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