Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disability employment advisers have received training in dealing with people with autism.

It is expected that all Disability Employment Advisers will undertake a learning routeway, which includes information about a wide range of disabilities and health conditions, including autism.

Our learning is delivered through a wide range of methods, including structured classroom based modules, up-skilling from colleagues and some delivered by third party organisations.

On 27 March, to coincide with World Autism Awareness Week, we launched a new Disability Confident Autism and Neuro-diversity Toolkit which we developed in partnership with Autism Alliance UK and the Autism Task Group. Communications about this went out to all DWP staff, not just those in customer-facing roles, to ensure our entire workforce is able to understand the needs of customers with autism and other hidden impairments.