Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Improving Lives green paper, published in October 2016, what recent progress his Department has made in undertaking (a) research and (b) a trial to provide support to help individuals in the employment and support allowance support group to move closer to the labour market.

We announced that we will undertake comprehensive research with claimants in the Support Group in the Health, Work and Disability Green Paper. Currently, we are in the process of appointing independent, external contractors to undertake the research, which we expect to commence in Spring 2017.

Findings from the research, and engagement with external stakeholders will be used to develop a large scale trial to test and learn from different approaches of offering employment and health support for those in the Support Group.

Participation in the research and/or trial will be entirely voluntary for claimants in the Support Group and based on informed consent.