Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to implement the action in the Disability Action Plan to provide financial support for disabled people to access elected office, and what progress they have made towards that aim.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Disability Action Plan was an initiative of the previous administration.
It is this government’s ambition to see more disabled people in public office. We have been clear that we will champion disabled people’s rights and work closely with them so that disabled people’s views and voices are at the heart of decision-making.
On 9 June we announced a new Access to Elected Office Steering Group to support the development of a new fund to help with the disability-related expenses of gaining elected office. Drawing on their lived experience and expertise of disability, accessing funding or standing for elected office, members will work with the Minister for Social Security and Disability to ensure the fund is effective in increasing disability representation in future elections. More information about this work will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will provide an update on the implementation of the commitments set out in the Disability Action Plan.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Disability Action Plan was an initiative of the previous administration. This Government is committed to championing the rights of Deaf and disabled people. We will build on the insights shared by disabled people and their representative organisations, working closely with them so that their views and voices are at the heart of decision-making.
We are currently taking forward a number of priorities, including making the right to equal pay effective for disabled people and introducing disability pay gap reporting for large employers through the Equality (Race & Disability) Bill and seeking to identify and, where possible, develop solutions to the barriers disabled people face when trying to use and access Assistive Technology. We will provide an update on wider priorities in due course.
Additionally, in December 2024, a Lead Minister for Disability was appointed in every government department to represent the interests of disabled people and champion disability inclusion and accessibility across their department, as they drive forward progress on the government’s manifesto commitments and 5 missions.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what involvement the Department for Work and Pensions has had with disabled people and their families to inform their thinking on the forthcoming white paper on improving support for disabled people and people with health conditions.
Answered by Baroness Altmann
The department regularly engages with disability charities and organisations, as well as disabled people and their families and carers, at both Ministerial and official level. We proactively seek stakeholder views on current health, care and employment services to understand what works and where improvements can be made through roundtables, focus groups and face-to-face meetings. These discussions inform and provide the opportunity to test our thinking as we being to develop proposals for the forthcoming White Paper, and we will continue to engage at all levels over the coming months.