Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to publish an updated national autism strategy.

The Department has not currently made an assessment of the effectiveness of the National strategy for autistic children, young people and adults: 2021 to 2026. Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service, published September 2024, highlighted the severe delays for accessing autism assessments and that demand for assessments for autism has grown significantly in recent years.

The House of Lords has established an Autism Act 2009 Committee, which is holding an inquiry to look at the Autism Act 2009 and the autism strategy, and will make recommendations to the Government by 30 November 2025. This will inform the Government’s future approach.