Disability

(asked on 2nd February 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her priorities are for the next six months of the National Disability Strategy.


Answered by
Chloe Smith Portrait
Chloe Smith
This question was answered on 9th February 2022

The National Disability Strategy (NDS), published in July 2021, sets out a wide range of tangible actions that will impact across the everyday lives of disabled people. From housing to transport, education to leisure and justice, to challenging the unhelpful perceptions of others. Delivery of the policies in the strategy is progressing well.

For example, DfE has invested over £8 billion in 2021/2022 on children and young people with complex needs, improving outcomes for disabled children. DWP is piloting an Adjustments Passport supporting disabled people in the transition to employment, and BEIS launched an online advice hub offering accessible information and advice on employment rights for disabled people.

Priorities over the next 6 months will be to continue to deliver on the commitments in the NDS and reporting on progress as we have previously committed to do.

In addition, this government is supporting the successful delivery of the British Sign Language Private Members Bill through the House of Commons and Lords to ​​recognise British Sign Language (BSL) as a language of Great Britain, with ultimately the objective of increasing access to BSL interpretation.

Alongside recognising British Sign Language as a language of Great Britain, we will:

  • establish a non-statutory advisory board of British Sign Language users to advise the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on BSL guidance
  • examine how to increase the number of British Sign Language interpreters
  • review the Access to Work scheme, which funds workplace adjustments, to ensure users of British Sign Language receive the support they need

I am committed to delivering the government’s aim to address the challenges faced by disabled people so that we continue to build back better, and fairer, for disabled people.

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