Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps is he taking to ensure that people with multiple sclerosis are able to stay in work; and if he will make a statement.

Individuals should have the opportunity to work and realise the benefit of stable employment where they can, enabling them to live independently and fulfil their potential. Our health and welfare systems need to reflect this and offer the opportunity to work for all those who can, help for those who could, and care for those who can’t; including to support those who want to work for as long as possible and prevent them from failing out of work unnecessarily early.

The Work, Health and Disability Green Paper, Improving Lives (published 31^st October 2016) reflects our new and ambitious approach to work and health. It sets out the short-term action we intend to take to bring about change. It also asks questions on proposals for longer-term reform over this Parliament and beyond, so that our systems, sectors and social attitudes all work together to help achieve the ambition of halving the disability employment gap. .

We have a range of activity underway that is focused on the evidence gaps we have identified including access to services and levels of support we should offer. This will help us to develop new models of support to help people remain in work when they are managing a long term health condition or disability. We want all employers to be as supportive as possible so that everyone can go as far as their talents will take them. But we know that there is much more that needs to be done, so that everyone who can work is given the right support and opportunities to do so.