Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to conduct an impact assessment of the increased costs of living on the health of people with multiple sclerosis.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government understands that people across the UK and especially the most vulnerable members of society, such as those suffering from multiple sclerosis, are worried about the rising cost of living. That is why the Government is taking decisive action to get households through this winter and the next, while ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way. The impact of the cost of living on households and those with disabilities is something that officials continue to review.
Depending on their specific circumstances, it is possible that people with multiple sclerosis will qualify for disability benefits. People in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 from 20th September, to help with the extra costs disabled people are facing. The DWP has already processed around 6 million such payments.
The Government is also providing a £650 Cost of Living Payment to recipients of means-tested benefits, to support people with low incomes with the rising cost of living. Individuals in receipt of means-tested disability benefits, such as income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or the Universal Credit Health top up are eligible for this support.
Those suffering from multiple sclerosis may also benefit from other forms of non-means tested support which the Government is providing to assist with UK households’ energy bills. The Energy Price Guarantee is a scheme that will cap the unit price households pay for electricity and gas, which means that a typical household in Great Britain will have to pay bills equivalent to no more than £2500 a year on their energy bills this winter.
- This will support people with a disability who may need to use more energy due to their condition or treatment.
Secondly, the Energy Bills Support Scheme, which will provide £400 to help with domestic energy bills. All households in Council Tax bands A-D will also receive the Government-funded £150 Council Tax Rebate, which will be delivered by Local Authorities.
Lastly, to support households who need further help or who are not eligible for elements of the wider package of support, the Government is also providing an extra £500 million of local support to help with the cost of essentials, via the Household Support Fund.
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, what estimate she has made of the number of patients with (a) multiple sclerosis and (b) other progressive conditions who face unnecessary repeat assessments.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Entitlement to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself. Award rates and their durations are set on an individual basis, based on the claimant’s needs and the likelihood of those needs changing. Award reviews allow for the correct rate of PIP to remain in payment, including where needs have increased as a consequence of a congenital, degenerative or progressive condition. No such estimate has been made concerning numbers of patients with any specific health condition.
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 her Department plans to commission an independent assessment of the adequacy of disability benefits rates to enable disabled people, including people with multiple sclerosis, to cover all their costs and meet their needs.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
As referenced in the Government’s response to the Work and Pensions Committee report on The Cost of Living published on 8 September 2022 (HC 671), the Government does not intend to commission a review into the adequacy of disability benefit levels.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness and role of the NICE guidance for Tourette’s Syndrome and other neurological disorders.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
No specific assessment has been made. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published guidelines on a range of neurological disorders, including epilepsy, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. It has also published a guideline and quality standard for the recognition and referral of suspected neurological conditions. NICE guidelines represent best practice which healthcare professionals are expected to take fully into account in the treatment of individual patients.
NICE has not published a guideline on Tourette’s Syndrome. Decisions on the topics where NICE will develop guidelines are based on factors such as the evidence base and clinical need. A topic selection oversight group at NICE considers topics for guideline development on this basis. Clinical guideline topics prioritised through this process are formally referred to NICE by NHS England and NHS Improvement.
Asked by: Lord Dubs (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the support that people with long term degenerative conditions like multiple sclerosis receive when they are no longer able to work.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Dubs (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many multiple sclerosis specialist nurses work in the NHS; and what plans they have, if any, to ensure all people with multiple sclerosis have access to a specialist nurse.
Answered by Lord Kamall
Data on the number of multiple sclerosis (MS) specialist nurses working in the National Health Service is not held centrally. Services for adults with MS are part of local neurology services commissioned by clinical commissioning groups. NHS England is leading a programme to develop optimal neurology pathways including, MS services. The MS pathway includes access to specialist nurses for all patients diagnosed with MS.
NHS England commissions a highly specialised service for children with MS across seven centres. All children with MS have access to a specialist paediatric nurse with an expertise in paediatric MS. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence advises a multidisciplinary approach and recommends the involvement of professionals to best meet the needs of the patient, including MS nurses.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase the digitisation of the process for applying for driving licences through the DVLA.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The quickest and easiest way to transact with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is by using its extensive suite of online services. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their documents within a few days.
The DVLA is continuing to expand its driver application online services over the next year. This will allow customers to upload their own photograph and signature instead of using one from a UK passport, as the current service requires. The DVLA is also working with the Home Office to create an electronic link to its View and prove your immigration status service. This will allow those with a non-UK passport to be authenticated online and use the DVLA online application service.
Drivers with diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, a visual impairment, a sleep condition or a heart condition are also able to renew their licence online.
The DVLA has also recently introduced a simplified licence renewal process for drivers with epilepsy and multiple sclerosis and is piloting this for some mental health conditions. This renewal process has significantly reduced the need for the DVLA to seek further information from medical professionals and enabled more licensing decisions to be made based on the information provided by the driver. The DVLA is looking at adding more medical conditions to this new process.
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of (a) the support available to help people with multiple sclerosis to succeed in the labour market and (b) further measures that could be taken to help improve this support.
Answered by Chloe Smith
A range of government initiatives, including schemes in partnership with the health system, are currently supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with multiple sclerosis, to live independent lives and start, stay and succeed in employment. These include the Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme, Access to Work and Disability Confident. The response to the Health is Everyone’s Business consultation, published last year, set out actions to minimise the risk of ill-health related job loss.
The last Spending Review and departmental funding allocation process assessed the current support available to help disabled people and people with health conditions, including those with multiple sclerosis, to succeed in the labour market and set future plans. Over the next three years, this government will invest £1.3bn in employment support for disabled people and people with health conditions. This will build up our provision further, including extending and expanding contracted employment support.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the backlog of applications at the DVLA on drivers with disabilities.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The quickest and easiest way to apply for a driving licence is by using the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online service. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their licence within a few days.
However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application and the DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day. The DVLA is working hard to process paper applications as quickly as possible for all drivers, including those with health conditions. To help reduce waiting times for paper applications, the DVLA has recruited more staff, increased overtime working and has opened new customer service centres in Swansea and Birmingham. These measures are having a positive impact and customers should continue to see an improving picture in terms of waiting times for paper applications.
The DVLA recognises the impact of delays on drivers who have medical conditions or disabilities which may require them to renew their licence more regularly and is working hard to improve the process. Drivers with diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, a visual impairment, a sleep condition or a heart condition can renew their licence online.
The DVLA has recently introduced a simplified licence renewal process for drivers with epilepsy and multiple sclerosis and is piloting this for some mental health conditions. This renewal process has significantly reduced the need for the DVLA to seek further information from medical professionals and enabled more licensing decisions to be made based on the information provided by the driver. The DVLA is looking at adding more medical conditions to this new process.
The length of time taken to deal with an application depends on the medical condition(s) involved and whether further information is required from medical professionals. The majority of those renewing their licence will be able to
continue driving while their application is being processed, providing they can meet the criteria outlined here.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing repeat disability assessments for people with progressive conditions, such as multiple sclerosis.
Answered by Chloe Smith
Through the Severe Conditions criteria, we have stopped repeat assessments on ESA/UC for people with the most severe and lifelong conditions.
We have committed to testing a new Severe Disability Group (SDG) for people who have severe and lifelong conditions that will not improve. These people could then benefit from a simplified process without ever needing to complete a detailed application form or go through an assessment. We will consider these test results once complete to influence thinking on the next stages of this work.