Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve accessibility for disabled people in public services.

We are continuously working across government, engaging with stakeholders and listening to the views of disabled people to improve accessibility in public services.

For example, following the publication of our BSL Advisory Board’s report ‘Locked out’ last November, which highlights the barriers faced by the Deaf community in relation to their experience of health and social care services, we are working with them to address the key recommendations from that report.

We are also exploring ways to improve the accessibility of government communications, so that all disabled people can be made aware of changes to existing government policies and are able to contribute to the development of new policies.

The Disability Confident scheme supports employers, including many public sector bodies, to adopt more inclusive and accessible recruitment and workplace practices. The scheme provides guidance, tools and support to build confidence in attracting, recruiting and retaining disabled people, while ongoing work with stakeholders and wider reform activity is strengthening the scheme to ensure it better supports accessibility and inclusion, informed by the lived experience of disabled people and designed to drive continuous improvement across organisations.

Last year I also announced our plans for a UK Government Plan for Disability. The Plan will:

○ summarise work already underway across Government to champion the rights of disabled people, including by making public services more accessible;

○ develop a set of aspirations for Government to prioritise next in order to break down barriers for disabled people; and

○ ​set out a clear vision ​that will show what this Government is aiming to achieve for disabled people in the longer term​.