Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of levels of availability of replacement guide dogs on the blind and visually impaired community since the pandemic.

Guide Dogs UK, as with other assistance dog charities and organisations, is an independent charity and the Government is not directly responsible or accountable for its activities. We aware of issues around the current shortage of guide dogs since the pandemic, and the previous Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work has had meetings and corresponded with Guide Dogs UK on this issue.

The Disability Action Plan, which was published in early February, sets out the immediate action HMG will be taking in 2024 to improve disabled people’s lives, including to improve support for people with assistance dogs and reduce access refusals, as well as laying the foundations for longer term change. It will complement the National Disability Strategy, which sets out our long term vision for disabled people in the UK.