Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the provision of interview questions in advance as a reasonable adjustment for jobseekers with learning disabilities and autism.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP recognises that some disabled candidates, including people with learning disabilities and autistic people, may benefit from reasonable adjustments during recruitment and as such promotes practices that support fair and accessible recruitment, including the provision of interview questions in advance, the use of clear language and flexibility in assessment methods where appropriate. DWP's Learning Disabilities Project is also working with employers and specialist organisations to identify barriers to recruitment and develop practical guidance that supports more inclusive employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to encourage employers to offer paid work trials as an alternative to formal interviews for jobseekers with learning disabilities.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Education and skills are devolved matters, the response outlines the information for England only.
We are transforming the Apprenticeships Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy in England, giving employers greater flexibility, creating more opportunities for young people, and directly supporting the Industrial Strategy.
In April 2026 we launched the first apprenticeship units focussing on priority sectors including artificial intelligence (AI), digital, construction and engineering. Apprenticeship units are short courses built from the knowledge and skills within existing employer-led occupational apprenticeship standards, ensuring high-quality, targeted training. They target immediate shortages in areas that will drive productivity and growth and will help employers upskill existing employees quickly and flexibly.
We have also reduced the apprenticeship minimum duration to 8 months, where this is appropriate for the role or the apprentice, as we know the previous 12-month minimum duration meant some employers and learners were prevented from accessing apprenticeships.
Additionally, we are also supporting more entry-level opportunities for young people, by introducing new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, such as construction and health and social care.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the availability of early intervention and treatment pathways for children with Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS); and what steps he is taking to improve access to timely diagnosis and treatment.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
Paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS) are distressing conditions for children, young people, and their families, and we recognise the challenges that families face.
The Department acknowledges the importance of raising awareness of PANS/PANDAS to improve diagnosis. That is why we welcome the formation of the PANS PANDAS Steering Group which includes representatives from key royal colleges, specialist clinical bodies, and the national charity PANS PANDAS UK. The steering group has already taken action to improve awareness, understanding, and care.
Work is underway to develop the first United Kingdom clinical guidelines for PANS and PANDAS, led by a multidisciplinary group and supported by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. These guidelines are expected to be published in autumn 2026 and will support more consistent care across the system. Pending publication, the PANS PANDAS Steering Group recommends that clinicians be aware of existing international peer-reviewed guidelines, including the PANS research consortium treatment guidelines, published in 2017, and the clinical guidance for diagnosis and management of PANS in the Nordic Countries, published in 2021.
With the backing of NHS England, a dedicated PANS PANDAS research group is advancing efforts to strengthen the evidence base, including through a nationwide surveillance study, designed to identify the number of children and young people presenting to healthcare professionals with symptoms matching the diagnostic criteria for PANS and PANDAS.
In addition, a cross-sector group is developing practical guidance for local authorities to improve support for children and young people living with PANS and PANDAS. Publication is due later this year, ensuring more consistent access to appropriate educational and social care services.
More widely, healthcare professionals are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This includes taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the level of clinical awareness and training on Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) among NHS professionals; and what steps he is taking to reduce variations in diagnosis and care.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
Paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS) are distressing conditions for children, young people, and their families, and we recognise the challenges that families face.
The Department acknowledges the importance of raising awareness of PANS/PANDAS to improve diagnosis. That is why we welcome the formation of the PANS PANDAS Steering Group which includes representatives from key royal colleges, specialist clinical bodies, and the national charity PANS PANDAS UK. The steering group has already taken action to improve awareness, understanding, and care.
Work is underway to develop the first United Kingdom clinical guidelines for PANS and PANDAS, led by a multidisciplinary group and supported by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. These guidelines are expected to be published in autumn 2026 and will support more consistent care across the system. Pending publication, the PANS PANDAS Steering Group recommends that clinicians be aware of existing international peer-reviewed guidelines, including the PANS research consortium treatment guidelines, published in 2017, and the clinical guidance for diagnosis and management of PANS in the Nordic Countries, published in 2021.
With the backing of NHS England, a dedicated PANS PANDAS research group is advancing efforts to strengthen the evidence base, including through a nationwide surveillance study, designed to identify the number of children and young people presenting to healthcare professionals with symptoms matching the diagnostic criteria for PANS and PANDAS.
In addition, a cross-sector group is developing practical guidance for local authorities to improve support for children and young people living with PANS and PANDAS. Publication is due later this year, ensuring more consistent access to appropriate educational and social care services.
More widely, healthcare professionals are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This includes taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking following the Keep Britain Working review to improve access to paid employment for people with learning disabilities.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent Keep Britain Working Review, published on 5 November 2025, highlighted the scale of the problem of people falling out of work for reasons of ill-health and disability, and the vital role employers can play in addressing this. The Review identified structural challenges for disabled people, including people with learning disabilities, creating barriers to starting and staying in work, and proposed reforms to create healthier, more inclusive workplaces.
While the Keep Britain Working programme’s central aim is to improve workplace health and inclusion for those already in employment, improving workplace conditions, support and inclusion for people with learning disabilities and other disabled people will also help remove barriers to accessing paid employment and support more people to enter and sustain work.
Since publication of the Review, Keep Britian Working has engaged with 180 employers and providers, 11 regions, and worked directly with more than 250 organisations to explore how to create healthier and more inclusive workplaces. This work has included:
Alongside Keep Britain Working, the Government's Pathways to Work offer provides work, health and skills support for disabled people and people with health conditions, backed by £3.5bn of investment by the end of the decade. Pathways to Work includes Connect to Work, a voluntary and locally led Supported Employment programme for disabled people, those with health conditions and people facing complex barriers to work. It will deliver tailored support to around 300,000 people by the end of the decade across England and Wales.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has held with the Welsh Government on the differentiation of identical glass containers in scope of the Deposit Return Scheme in Wales and Extended Producer Responsibility in the UK from 1 October 2027.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Defra officials engaged extensively with Welsh Government on its decision to include single-use glass containers in its Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). This led to an agreement by UK Government to an exclusion from the UK Internal Market Act 2020.
Welsh Government and their Deposit Management Organisation (DMO), once appointed, will need to consider how glass containers subject to their DRS will be labelled.
We continue to engage with the Welsh Government on the implementation of its DRS in respect of single-use glass.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether an interim solution to the exemption process for non-household waste under Extended Producer Responsibility regulations will cover non-household drinks containers supplied indirectly via business models such as wholesalers and third-party distributors.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Defra is working closely with stakeholders on potential changes to the household packaging definition in the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) regulations, including interim and longer-term approaches to dual-use packaging.
Any approach must be supported by sufficient evidence and be enforceable by regulators.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish a proposed interim solution to the exemption process for non-household waste under Extended Producer Responsibility regulations.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Defra is working closely with stakeholders on potential changes to the household packaging definition in the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) regulations, including interim and longer-term approaches to dual-use packaging. No final date has been set for any proposed interim solution.
Any changes would need to be workable, enforceable, and protect the operational integrity of the scheme across different supply chains and business models.