Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021, what steps her Department has taken with the Disability Confident Professional Advisers Group (PAG) and the Business Leaders Group to review and strengthen levels 2 and 3 of the scheme, to support employers to increase disabled people’s employment opportunities.

As announced in the National Disability Strategy, DWP has taken steps to review the Disability Confident scheme (levels 2 and 3). We have held a number of events and workshops to gather views about the scheme from disabled people, Business Leaders Group, Professional Advisers Group and disability representative organisations. Together we are considering the content of the scheme to ensure it remains up to date, credible and sufficiently challenging in support of disability employment. The review is expected to conclude by Spring 2022 at which point any changes to the scheme will be communicated and the scheme guidance will be updated.