Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department is taking steps with (a) people with lived experience of (i) Parkinson's and (ii) other disabilities and (b) employers to help create more inclusive workplaces.

The Department speaks regularly with organisations representing people with disabilities and employer groups on a range of issues, including creating more inclusive workplaces.

For example, Scope represents disability groups on the Flexible Working Taskforce, alongside business representative associations and organisations like Carers UK. The Taskforce works with Government to promote more and better flexible working practices, which can be a key component of inclusive workplaces.

In December 2022, the Government published its response to the consultation “making flexible working the default”[1]. This committed to make changes to the Right to Request Flexible Working to boost availability, several of which are being taken forward through the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill[2].

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/making-flexible-working-the-default

[2] https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3198