Neurodivergent People: Employment

Esther McVey Excerpts

Tuesday 9th September 2025 Westminster Hall

[Steve Yemm (Mansfield) (Lab)]

Specifically on that point, it is important to recognise that neurodivergent people, particularly young neurodivergent people, should be treated individually, as the hon. Member has just suggested. In my constituency, West Notts college offers a number of entirely bespoke courses that are specifically designed have that sort of impact. The outcomes from those courses are truly phenomenal and West Notts college deserves our praise for helping so many young people into further education and back into employment. Does the hon. Member agree that a one-size-fits-all approach is really not the best way to get neurodivergent people, and those with special educational needs and disabilities, back into education and employment?

[Esther McVey (in the Chair)]

Order. May I remind hon. Members that interventions are just that? They are interventions, not short speeches.

[Charlotte Cane]

I thank the hon. Member for Mansfield (Steve Yemm) for his intervention and I congratulate the college that he mentioned. He is absolutely right—one size fits all does not fit anybody, but particularly not neurodivergent people.

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[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Esther McVey (in the Chair)]

I remind Members that they should bob if they wish to be called in the debate.

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[Josh Newbury]

When we approach things such as welfare reform—this is probably also true of SEND reform—it is always bound to cause anxiety for people. We absolutely have to be mindful of that, particularly in this place, with the rhetoric we use and the way we go out to consult. I am concerned that the hon. Member is picking that up in his constituency; I have certainly had constituents reach out to me with concerns about welfare changes. It is incumbent on all of us to listen to that, to appreciate where the proposals are coming from and to try to find a common ground. We absolutely can do that in this case and in the case of PIP changes.

Above all, for me, this is about fairness. Everybody deserves the dignity of meaningful work, and everyone benefits when talent is not wasted. Autistic people have so much to offer, whether in science, like Einstein, in conservation, like Chris Packham, or in the day-to-day workplaces that keep our communities and economy running. The Government have already taken important steps, creating the independent panel, ensuring that work coaches have access to autism-specific training and providing disability employment advisors to offer specialist guidance, but the real test will be whether those reforms can deliver change on the ground in job centres, interviews and workplaces.

In the shortest line possible, everyone benefits when talent is nurtured, not wasted. My ask is that the insights of the new independent panel are coupled with autism-specific training, so that constituents such as mine and thousands of others across the country can finally see the promises of inclusion turn into the practical support they need to succeed in work.

[Esther McVey (in the Chair)]

We have quite a lot of Members in the room wishing to speak, so can we keep speeches to a maximum of four minutes?