Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which policies have been paused by the Government following the High Court declaration on the National Disability Strategy.
Answered by Chloe Smith
In January 2022, the High Court declared that the Strategy was unlawful because the UK Disability Survey, which informed it, was held to be a voluntary consultation that failed to comply with the legal requirements on public consultations
We strongly disagree with the finding and the Work and Pensions Secretary of State has sought permission to appeal the High Court’s declaration. We are awaiting the Court of Appeal’s decision on whether permission to appeal is granted.
To comply with the High Court’s declaration pending the outcome of the appeal, the Government has paused the delivery, implementation and communication of some policies, activities, and actions that are contained in the Strategy. The Work and Pensions Secretary of State wishes to minimise the risk of acting inconsistently with the declaration. This means that out of over 100 policies in the strategy, we have paused 14. A full list of these policies is as follows:
I will set out further detail in a letter and I will place a copy in the House library.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether training offered by her Department to (a) Disability Employment Advisors and (b) Work Coaches covers assistive technology.
Answered by Chloe Smith
All staff who undertake the DEA role are expected to have completed the Work Coach Learning Journey prior to commencing learning for the DEA role. As part of the Work Coach Learning, staff complete a module, Assisted Digital (UC37) where they are provided with the knowledge and skills which will enable them to:
There is also a new product Accessibility Fundamentals learning which provides delegates with the knowledge to understand the various features in Microsoft that can be used to make opportunities more accessible.
Asked by: Fay Jones (Conservative - Brecon and Radnorshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve accessibility of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to people seeking to use its services.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) places a strong focus on accessibility when developing its services, ensuring that they work for those who have specific needs or use assistive technology. The DVLA’s user research team conducts usability testing of new services and ensures that 20 per cent of participants with an accessibility need or a medical condition take part in the usability testing to ensure the service meets the needs of all users.
The DVLA also uses a third-party supplier to provide independent usability/user testing and technology audits of live and prototype DVLA web services against the relevant accessibility guidelines. The DVLA aims for each service to be tested at least once during the development cycle to ensure recommendations can be assessed and implemented.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 4 February 2022 to Question 113194 on Disability Aids: Technology, what further progress her Department has made towards exploring how a Centre for Assistive and Accessible Technology might drive improvements in public services.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The government is committed to disability policy that supports all areas of life, and to taking action to create a society that works for everyone so we can build back better - and fairer.
The Secretary of State has sought permission to appeal the High Court's declaration in Binder vs SSWP, and whilst we await the outcome, the Secretary of State is considering how to proceed with policies, activities, and actions that fall within the department's remit. Next steps regarding the Centre for Assistive and Accessible Technology will be set forth in due course.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the reasonable adjustments her Department has made for blind and sight impaired universal credit claimants to ensure that those claimants are able to access universal credit services online or by phone.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Universal Credit has been designed with accessibility in mind. We have automated accessibility tests continuously running and we regularly test the service with assistive technology, including screen readers and screen magnifiers. The claimant-facing side of Universal Credit was audited by the RNIB in 2016 and passed the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines at an AA standard. In 2020/2021, we again linked up with RNIB to trial and roll out external learning for our work coaches and disability employment staff in Universal Credit. This focused on providing additional support for our agents when working with sight loss customers and the support RNIB can offer. We are committed to further improving the service we provide and a further external accessibility audit is currently taking place.
Our system generated letters are available in a variety of alternative formats, such as large print or Braille. We regularly review our communication products and are committed to providing personalised support for all claimants. If a claimant is unable to make a digital claim, they can make and maintain their claim via our Freephone Universal Credit helpline. A phone claim is also clearly marked on the service to remind DWP staff to use alternative channels to communicate information with a claimant and the claimant’s monthly award statement will be sent via post.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to encourage companies to take up innovative technologies to make packaging more accessible to people with sight impairments.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government recognises the specific challenges faced by people with sight loss or visual impairment, and that consideration of equality impacts must be integral in all key policy decisions.
UK Research and Innovation have work undertaken to accelerate innovation in assistive technologies, which is set out in the National Institute of Health Research’s report on Research and Development Work Relating to Assistive Technology.
The Royal National Institute for Blind People can support businesses to develop more accessible products and services, and can recommend solutions, technologies and tools to help resolve accessibility issues.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that every jobcentre is equipped with the assistive technology disabled claimants need to apply for jobs.
Answered by Chloe Smith
DWP recently completed an upgrade of all Customer Computers across the Jobcentre network which now means that all devices provided for use by customers have the standard accessibility features available such as being able to change the screen size & colour, replacing sounds with screen alerts and using the screen reader to read text.
We currently have over 7,275 devices across our estate, registered with these accessibility features. The numbers of computers available for customers to use in jobcentres will differ depending on the COVID measures in place.
Further support is available to customers where reasonable adjustments are identified and recorded. Each Jobcentre District Office has been provided with the following items for use by customers if requested:
We have opened a number of new sites across the estate to support delivery of face to face public services. As part of this work, Customer Computers are available in these sites. Further work is also underway to provide accessibility hardware to those sites.
In addition to this, we have improved access to our Wi-Fi services in all jobcentres, allowing customers to use their own personal devices if they prefer, to access internet services.
We also constantly review the number of PCs available for customers and have capacity to increase the number of devices quickly, if the need arises.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published July 2021, what recent steps his Department has taken to (a) encourage and support workplace disability networks, (b) achieve and maintain the highest level of Disability Confident accreditation, (c) ensure responsive and timely support to meet workplace adjustment needs and (d) develop and embed flexible working.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
What recent steps their Department has taken on (a) encouraging and supporting workplace disability networks.
The Ministry of Justice has a partnership agreement in place with Staff Networks. This sets out an overarching approach as to how MOJ staff support networks can operate effectively and how MOJ will provide support, advice and guidance.
There are bi-monthly meetings in place between MoJ and staff networks. MoJ disability staff networks are members of our disability governance groups, and we encourage their participation to gain insight and to contribute to departmental work on disability.
What recent steps their Department has taken on (b) achieving and maintaining the highest level of Disability Confident accreditation.
The MoJ has been a Disability Confident (DC) Leader since 2017 and in March 2021 MoJ were successfully reaccredited as a DC Leader. The MoJ supported its Executive Agencies to become DC Leaders in March 2021 and will continue this activity. This recognised our commitment to make the most of the talents of disabled people and work to improve how we attract, recruit, retain and develop people with disabilities.
To maintain this level of DC the MoJ is working with disabled colleagues and allies across the department to build a more inclusive and empowering workplace. This includes the provision of resources (e.g. policy, guidance, information and Staff Networks) and work is overseen by a Disability Action Group, established in 2021.
What recent steps their Department has taken on (c) ensuring responsive and timely support to meet workplace adjustment needs.
The department established a new in-house workplace adjustment service in 2021. The service provides advice and guidance to staff, managers and teams to help staff obtain and implement workplace adjustments in a timely manner.
The department has made improvements to its intranet pages, guidance, and learning products, to build capability to meet workplace adjustment needs. Guidance was updated throughout the pandemic to provide continuity of workplace adjustments services. A new workplace adjustment online learning product has been made available, which enables employees to recognise when adjustments may be helpful and how to implement them.
The MoJ have optimised and increased our dedicated Assistive Technology team to ensure responsive and timely workplace adjustment services are in operation across the organisation.
What recent steps their Department has taken on (d) developing and embedding flexible working.
In MoJ flexible working has been a useful tool to improve employees’ work life balance and wellbeing, whilst helping to attract and retain staff.
HR Policies offer both formal and informal flexibility subject to business need and support flexible working across the department. Flexible working as a workplace adjustment can be key to enabling people with disabilities and carers to continue to work.
The introduction of Smarter Working in 2015 embedded flexibility at the heart of our people offer. It brought people, workspace and technology together to help us be a more open, dynamic and modern organisation. The majority of our staff attended a place of work during the pandemic. We are continuing to embed flexibility as office-based staff return to MoJ buildings: we have issued practical guidance toolkits to support them make the most of hybrid working, taking into account the needs of their role and their individual circumstances.
These arrangements are embedded through toolkits made available to staff, encouraging teams and individuals to discuss the working arrangements that will work for them in balance with business needs.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published July 2021, what recent steps his Department has taken to (a) encourage and support workplace disability networks, (b) achieve and maintain the highest level of Disability Confident accreditation, (c) ensure responsive and timely support to meet workplace adjustment needs and (d) develop and embed flexible working.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Our Defra Group Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy for 2020-24 sets out our vision to be a diverse and inclusive organisation where every individual has equality of opportunity to progress and to apply their unique insights to our vision of making the UK a Great Place for Living. We have identified as a priority area in the strategy the importance of improving outcomes for disabled colleagues.
Defra disability representation in our workforce is in line with the UK working age population figure at 14.2% (December 2021).
Some of our key initiatives are outlined below.
(a) Disability networks
Defra has supported the development of 14 disability-related networks and a carers network available to support Defra employees and line managers (Annex A).
Each of the networks is supported by a Senior Champion, who meet regularly with the executive Disability Champion via a Disability Board. The network leads meet as a Shadow Disability Board to ensure that the voice of disabled employees is heard in the development of policies and practices supporting disabled staff. Defra regularly consults with the network leads in the development of all HR policies.
Defra supports the networks in their comprehensive programme of communications for awareness days as well as workshops, webinars and other events which are promoted via the group intranet.
Defra support networks to share bespoke content across dedicated internal communications channels to maximise colleague reach.
(b) Disability Confident accreditation
Defra achieved Disability Confident Leader (Level 3) accreditation in December 2017. Defra has continued to maintain and improve support for disabled staff such that in June 2021 we successfully renewed this accreditation at Level 3 Leader status.
(c) Workplace adjustments
Defra makes provision for all employees to receive workplace adjustments and information on the process for obtaining these is detailed on the Defra Intranet, with clear links to the process to follow. Throughout the Covid 19 pandemic these processes have been reinforced and adapted to ensure support and provision to colleagues working from home, in line with wider Covid working practice adjustments.
Support is available for line managers through our occupational health provider and workplace solutions provider, ensuring that timely assessment and equipment for workplace adjustments is provided as required.
Arrangements are in place with a dedicated assistive technology team in Digital, Data and Technology Services to manage the timely provision of assistive technology for employees.
Defra in collaboration with the disability networks has developed a ‘Making Defra disability and carer confident’ workshop. This includes information for line managers, on all types of workplace adjustments from changes in working hours/location to physical adjustments such as Assistive technology and furniture.
Defra encourages the use of Workplace Passports for all employees to enable supportive conversations, capturing and recording agreed workplace adjustments, with the passport under regular review to ensure it is representative of the employee’s needs over time.
(d) Flexible working
We have policies and procedures in place to help Defra employees balance their personal and work responsibilities, allowing us to support our people to deliver their best while ensuring business needs are met.
Defra developed and adopted a new flexi-time/working- time tracking approach which incorporates and allows for recording breaks throughout the day.
Defra encourages flexible working and shares information on the Defra Intranet. This ranges from a temporary flexible working hours scheme to considering applications under the formal flexible working policy. All Defra vacancies are advertised by default to specify varied working patterns including full time, part time, flexible working, and job share.
Government guidance to work from home where possible provided opportunities to review Defra ways of working. Defra established a team, Project Horizon, to support working from home (including the provision of specialist equipment where required in line with workplace adjustment arrangements) in the short term and propose new ways of working in the long term, learning from the experiences of employees.
The Project Horizon team consulted with EDI employee networks (including disability networks) to complete the Equality Impact Assessment to ensure that the needs of all employees were met in working from home, returning to workplaces, and in the long term the blended working approach.
To reduce barriers in colleague mobility between workplaces (home and office locations) a desk booking system was adopted including the ability to indicate individual requirements including neurodiverse/ sensory environment needs, therefore ensuring that colleagues with disabilities are able to fully benefit from the blended working approach.
Annex A
Autism Network |
ADHD Network |
Working Through Cancer Network |
Cancer Network |
Chronic Pain Network |
Disability Network (DisNet) |
Dyslexia Plus Network |
Fatigue Network |
Hearing Loss Network |
IBD Network |
Mobilise |
Neuro Diversity Network |
Stammering Network |
Visual Impairment Network |
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy published 28 July 2021, what steps the Disability Unit has taken on considering new ways to make assistive and accessible technology part of the everyday design of public services.
Answered by Chloe Smith
As part of the Government's ambition for the UK to be the most accessible place in the world to live and work with technology, we are exploring how we might drive improvements in public services through a Centre for Assistive and Accessible Technology.
The Disability Unit has been delivering workshops in partnership with Policy Connect to develop options for the Centre, working with disability organisations and charities, the tech sector, government departments and academia.