Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that employers are encouraged to recruit and retain disabled people.

‘Improving Lives – the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper’ sets out the Government’s proposals for improving work and health outcomes for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, including how we can further drive and support employer action.

Through the Green Paper we are asking about the barriers preventing employers from recruiting and retaining disabled people and people with health conditions, and what measures would help them in doing so.

We are also taking practical steps to promote the benefits of employing disabled people through our Disability Confident campaign which includes promotion of other sources of support such as the DWP’s Access to Work Scheme and its associated Mental Health Support Service for Employees.