Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of people who had been referred to (a) secondary mental health services and (b) NHS Talking Therapies who were referred with (i) autistic spectrum disorders, (ii) ADHD, (iii) dyslexia, (iv) dyspraxia, (v) PTSD, (vi) schizophrenia and (vii) anxiety disorders as the other presenting condition or symptom for referral were waiting for a first contact on 31 January 2025, broken down by NHS region.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Information on mental health conditions by referral is not available, and a diagnosis may not have been established at the time of referral.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of people who had been referred to (a) secondary mental health services and (b) NHS Talking Therapies who were referred with (i) autistic spectrum disorders, (ii) ADHD, (iii) dyslexia, (iv) dyspraxia, (v) PTSD, (vi) schizophrenia and (vii) anxiety disorders as the primary presenting condition or symptom for referral were waiting for a first contact on 31 January 2025, by NHS Trust.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Information on mental health conditions by referral is not available, and a diagnosis may not have been established at the time of referral.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of people who had been referred to (a) secondary mental health services and (b) NHS Talking Therapies who were referred with (i) autistic spectrum disorders, (ii) ADHD, (iii) dyslexia, (iv) dyspraxia, (v) PTSD, (vi) schizophrenia and (vii) anxiety disorders as the other presenting condition or symptom for referral were waiting for a first contact on 31 January 2025, by NHS Trust.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Information on mental health conditions by referral is not available, and a diagnosis may not have been established at the time of referral.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of people who had been referred to (a) secondary mental health services and (b) NHS Talking Therapies who were referred with (i) autistic spectrum disorders, (ii) ADHD, (iii) dyslexia, (iv) dyspraxia, (v) PTSD, (vi) schizophrenia and (vii) anxiety disorders as the primary presenting condition or symptom for referral were waiting for a first contact on 31 January 2025, broken down by NHS region.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Information on mental health conditions by referral is not available, and a diagnosis may not have been established at the time of referral.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government further to Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 8 May (HL6802), how many higher education students self-assessed as having a learning difference such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, AD(H)D, social/communication conditions such as a speech and language impairment, or an autistic spectrum condition in each year since 2015; and how many assessment results took these conditions into account, in each year since 2015.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The numbers of students declaring the conditions referenced are published in detail on the Higher Education Statistics Agency website here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-15.
The ways in which higher education providers (HEPs) best support these students is based on the individual needs of the student.
HEPs have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for all their disabled students. Wherever possible, disabled students should expect to have their needs met through inclusive learning practices and individual reasonable adjustments made by their HEPs. They are also entitled to reasonable adjustments in the assessment and marking of their work to ensure that they are not disadvantaged. Students should discuss their needs, provide any appropriate evidence and work with the university's support services to identify and implement suitable adjustments.
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is available for eligible students in addition to the reasonable adjustments made by HEPs for the provision of more specialist support, such as ergonomic equipment and assistive software. To be eligible for DSA, students must be eligible for higher education student finance and must have a disability as defined in the Equality Act 2010.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 14 April (HL6368), what estimate they have made of the number of university students who self-identify as neurodivergent.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There is no set category for ‘neurodivergence’, so included in this figure are higher education (HE) student enrolments flagged as ‘Learning difference such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or AD(H)D’ and ‘Social/communication conditions such as a speech and language impairment or an autistic spectrum condition’.
Across all levels and modes of study and all domiciles, 245,810 HE student enrolments self-assessed in this way for the 2023/24 academic year across all UK HE providers.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claiming the standard level of the Personal Independence Payment who did not score four points in any of the 10 descriptors are (a) autistic and (b) neurodivergent.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In January 2025 (latest available data), there were 8,200 claimants of Personal Independence Payment in England and Wales receiving the Standard Daily Living component who did not score at least four points in any of the 10 descriptors and had autism as their primary condition. There were 21,600 such claimants whose primary condition was a neurodivergent condition, including the 8,200 with autism.
We have defined Neurodivergent claimants as those with the following primary conditions:
- Autism
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- ADHD / ADD
- Tourette’s Syndrome
There may be other claimants with neurodivergent conditions as a primary or secondary condition, but these are not identifiable from the readily available data. Behavioural responses on the part of claimants and assessors to the reforms planned to take effect from November 2026 will affect the outcomes of award reviews undertaken after that date.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to improve (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of learning difficulties in adults.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
A learning difficulty is a reduced ability for a specific form of learning and includes conditions such as dyslexia and dyspraxia. These are life-long conditions.
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population. Information on dyslexia assessments as well as those for dyspraxia in adults are available at the following links:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dyslexia/diagnosis/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia-in-adults/
The Department for Education has invested £1.34 billion in the 2024/25 academic year in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF). This is funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and includes funds for learning support, which helps adult education providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including the costs of reasonable adjustments, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.
Learning support can cover a range of needs, including an assessment for dyslexia, funding to pay for specialist equipment or helpers, and/or arranging signers or note takers. The Mayoral Strategic Authorities and the Greater London Authority have a devolved ASF and decide how to make best use of the ASF, beyond the ASF’s statutory entitlements, to meet their local needs.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to improve (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of dyspraxia in adults.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including diagnosis and support for dyspraxia. Further information on dyspraxia assessments and treatment is available on the NHS.UK website, at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia-in-adults/
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what staff networks there are in her Department.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The following staff-led support networks currently operate in the Department:
- EnABLE, a disability and long-term conditions network;
- Autism Network;
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Network;
- Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network;
- Race Equality Matters Network;
- Prism, an LGBT+ network;
- Women’s Network;
- Parents’ Network;
- Age Diversity Network;
- Carers’ Network;
- Care Leavers’ Network;
- Social Mobility Network;
- Men’s Health Network;
- Christian Network;
- Jewish Network;
- Muslim Network;
- Hinduism and Sikhism Group;
- Humanists Network;
- Diversity and Inclusion Analytical Network;
- Domestic Abuse Support Group;
- Working Through Cancer Network; and
- Mental Health First Aid.
The following networks support and promote professional development and operational delivery:
- International Network;
- Flexible Working Network;
- Green Network;
- Social Workers Network;
- Health Science and Engineering Network;
- IT User Engagement Group;
- Clinicians’ Network;
- Nutritionist Network;
- Perspectives Network;
- History Network;
- Culture and Engagement Champions Network;
- Active Travel Network;
- International Network;
- First Aid Network;
- Administrative Officer and Executive Officer Network;
- Personal Assistant Network;
- Senior Executive Officer and Higher Executive Officer Network;
- G6 and G7 Network; and
- Direct Appointment Scheme Network.