Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the disability employment gap.

In the recent Health and Disability White Paper, the Government reaffirmed our commitment to close the disability employment gap. To support this ambition, the Government announced a wide-reaching package at the Spring Budget to support disabled people, and people with health conditions, to stay in, and return to, work. New investment broadens access to additional Work Coach support for disabled people and people with health conditions, introduces a new supported employment programme and focuses on providing faster access to joined-up work and health support, including for mental health and musculoskeletal conditions.

This new investment builds on our existing package of support to help disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in, work. These include increasing Work Coach support in Jobcentres; Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres; the Work and Health Programme and Intensive Personalised Employment Support, Access to Work grants; Disability Confident; the Information and Advice Service; and work to further join up employment and health systems, including Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies.