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Westminster Hall
Mental Health and Long-term Conditions - Thu 16 May 2024
Department for Business and Trade

Mentions:
1: Peter Dowd (Lab - Bootle) Research suggests that about half of all people with multiple sclerosis will experience depression at - Speech Link

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Written Question

Multiple Sclerosis

Wednesday 26th April 2023

Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase public understanding of multiple sclerosis .

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published specific guidance to improve awareness and understanding about multiple sclerosis, as well as guidance on suspected neurological conditions more broadly.

NICE promotes its guidance via its website, newsletters and other media.

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Written Question

Personal Independence Payment: Multiple Sclerosis

Monday 15th May 2023

Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has had discussions with people with Multiple Sclerosis on the adequacy of (a) informal observations, (b) the 50 percent rule and (c) the 20-meter rule for determining Personal Independence Payment awards.

Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) was established in collaboration with a wide range of experts and following a comprehensive public consultation between 2010-2012 with stakeholders, including the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

As referenced in my responses on 21 April 2023, UIN181230, and 24 April 2023, UIN181064:

• We believe the current assessment criteria, including the 20-metre rule, are the best way of identifying people whose physical mobility is most limited and there are no immediate plans to make changes;
• Informal observations are useful in assessing functional capability and there are no current plans to stop this; and
• The department closely monitors all aspects of the assessment process, including how we assess fluctuating health conditions like multiple sclerosis, however there are no current plans to remove the 50 per cent rule.

More recently the department ran a series of events with charities (including the MS Society on 30 September 2020) which helped to shape Future Support: The Health and Disability Green Paper.

Many of the changes set out in Transforming Support: The Health and Disability White Paper aim to improve our assessment of fluctuating conditions, such as the way we use medical evidence, and developing the capability of our assessors. We will also explore options for introducing a new way of gathering evidence of fluctuation in a person’s condition before their assessment.

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Departmental Publication (Transparency)
Ministry of Defence

Jul. 06 2023

Source Page: FOI responses published by MOD: week commencing 3 July 2023
Document: Request for information on Armed Forces in Scotland (PDF)

Found: sclerosis -secondary progressive EMISNQMU13 Multiple sclerosis -relapsing remitting F20 Multiple sclerosis

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Select Committee

Mrs Sandra Barclay

ADY0188 - Assisted dying/assisted suicide

Written Evidence Nov. 22 2023

Inquiry: Assisted dying/assisted suicide
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Health and Social Care Committee (Department: Department of Health and Social Care)

Found: Andrew had suffered with Multiple Sclerosis for 24 years.

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Closed Petition closed 23rd February 2024

Provide free prescriptions for people living with life long health conditions. - Final Signatures: 186

To provide free prescriptions for people with life long, chronic conditions, including but not limited to CROHNS, multiple sclerosis, dementia, motor neurone, Huntington’s, cystic fibrosis, asthma, ulcerative colitis etc.

Found: free prescriptions for people with life long, chronic conditions, including but not limited to CROHNS, multiple

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Written Question

Personal Independence Payment: Multiple Sclerosis

Thursday 11th May 2023

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment the Government has made of the effectiveness of (a) the 20-metre rule, (b) informal observations and (c) the 50 per cent rule for accurately assessing the impact of Multiple sclerosis during Personal Independence Payment assessments.

Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)

As referenced in my responses on 21 April 2023, UIN181230, and 24 April 2023, UIN181064:

• We believe the current assessment criteria, including the 20-metre rule, are the best way of identifying people whose physical mobility is most limited and there are no immediate plans to make changes.
• Informal observations are useful in assessing functional capability and there are no current plans to stop this.
• The department closely monitors all aspects of the assessment process, including how we assess fluctuating health conditions like multiple sclerosis, however there are no current plans to remove the 50 per cent rule.

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Select Committee

Benefit Resolution CIC

SVC0009 - Safeguarding vulnerable claimants

Written Evidence Nov. 09 2023

Inquiry: Safeguarding vulnerable claimants
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Work and Pensions Committee (Department: Department for Work and Pensions)

Found: to ask, that although this Government has responded to the Work and pensions committee, regarding multiple

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