Oral Answers to Questions

Dominic Raab Excerpts

Monday 20th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Charlie Elphicke (Dover) (Con)]

2. What steps the Government are taking to ensure that people with mental health conditions are supported into work.

[Mr Dominic Raab (Esher and Walton) (Con)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to support people with mental illness into work.

[The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work (Penny Mordaunt)]

We have been seeking views on this through the “Work, Health and Disability” Green Paper. We are also investing £100 million in trialling voluntary employment initiatives to consider what works for this group, including embedding employment advisers within the NHS talking therapy services.

[Penny Mordaunt]

I agree that voluntary organisations have huge insight and expertise that we can tap into, and I commend the work of Talk It Out in my hon. Friend’s constituency. We are recruiting 200 community partners throughout the Jobcentre Plus network so that we can ensure we reach all those organisations and benefit from their huge experience and wisdom.

[Mr Raab]

What consideration has been given to providing tax breaks to employers that hire employees with a certified mental health illness, as proposed by the National Autistic Society and others?

[Penny Mordaunt]

My hon. Friend has hit on a theme of the Green Paper. Much work is going on in this area, not only for those with mental illness but for those with a learning disability. One health trial is currently looking at discounting business rates for employers with good mental health practice.