Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing mandatory training programmes for employers and staff to improve awareness and understanding of neurodiversity in the workplace.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In 2025 DWP launched an Expert Academic Panel on Neurodiversity. Bringing together multidisciplinary experts, the Panel examined why neurodivergent people often experience poor outcomes at work and lower employment rates. We have received the Panel’s report and are carefully considering its recommendations, including those around what further actions employers can take.
Research by the Arbitration, Conciliation and Advisory Service (ACAS) highlights that managers are key to supporting neurodivergent employees but often lack the necessary training and confidence to do so effectively. Consequently, earlier this year DWP funded ACAS to deliver free of charge masterclasses to small and medium size employers on recruiting and supporting neurodivergent talent in the workplace. Over 1800 representatives of small and medium sized employers attended these masterclasses.
DWP's offer to employers also includes a digital information service, www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/ which provides tailored guidance to employers to support employees to remain in work. This includes guidance on disclosures and having conversations about health and disability, plus guidance on legal obligations, including making reasonable adjustments.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average response time is for the a) Child Support Agency and b) Child Maintenance Service.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Support Agency (CSA) does not publish a standalone Annual Report and Accounts. Information regarding the performance of the Child Maintenance Service can be found in the Annual Reports and Accounts 2024-25 linked here - DWP Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 25
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff have (a) had their employment contract terminated and (b) resigned in (i) Jobcentre Plus, (ii) the Pension Service, and (iii) the Child Maintenance Service since January 2025.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The data relates to DWP leavers within Child Maintenance Service, Retirement Services, and Universal Credit Operations. It includes both paid and unpaid leavers and covers the period from 1 January 2025 to 31 March 2026.
Directorates | Dismissal | Resignation | Grand Total |
CHILD MAINTENANCE SERVICE | 41 | 206 | 247 |
RETIREMENT SERVICES | 53 | 151 | 204 |
UC OPERATIONS | 441 | 1579 | 2020 |
Grand Total | 535 | 1936 | 2471 |
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the (a) total cost and (b) profile of the Capita Synergy contract over its lifetime, including optional services and contingencies.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Synergy Business Process Services (BPS) has now been awarded, and this information has therefore been published and can be accessed via the GOV.UK “Contract Finder” – Procurement reference: CF-0020000DQH00000FUqLV2A1
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints the Department has received in the last 12 months regarding the Access to Work scheme.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
From April 2025 to March 2026, a total of 1,769 complaints has been received.
April 2025 - 155 received
May 2025 - 154 received
June 2025 - 149 received
July 2025 - 166 received
August 2025 - 98 received
September 2025 - 125 received
October 2025 - 149 received
November 2025 - 142 received
December 2025 - 119 received
January 2026 - 171 received
February 2026 - 154 received
March 2026 - 187 received
Please note that the data supplied is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.
Asked by: Tim Roca (Labour - Macclesfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Health and Safety Executive has been consulted by Peak Cluster Limited on the proximity of the proposed CO2 pipeline route and above-ground installation to Gawsworth Church of England Primary School.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As a statutory consultee to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) process for the Peak Cluster pipeline, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has responded to the Planning Inspectorate at the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Stage confirming whether the proposed pipeline passes through the Consultation Distances of other major accident hazard pipelines, major hazard sites, or licensed explosives sites.
Under the Pipeline Safety Regulations 1996, as amended, the operator of a major hazard pipeline is required to produce a major accident prevention document prior to the design of the pipeline being completed, demonstrating that major accident hazard potential arising from the pipeline has been identified; evaluation of those risks has been carried out; and that an adequate safety management system for those risks is in place.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Restore Britain - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Personal Independence Payment claims were made by residents of Great Yarmouth constituency in each of the last three years; and how many of those claims were successful.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The requested information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) registrations and clearances by constituency can be found on Stat Xplore.
Asked by: Lorraine Beavers (Labour - Blackpool North and Fleetwood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure access to services for disabled people with assistance dogs.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Equality Act 2010 places a general duty on businesses and service providers to make reasonable adjustments to allow disabled people, including people with assistance dogs, access to goods and services so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Equality Act. It has published guidance - ‘Assistance Dogs: a guide for businesses and service providers’ - to help businesses and service providers understand what they can do to meet their legal duties to assistance dog owners.
Duties and protections under the Equality Act are ultimately enforceable through the courts, and anybody who thinks that they have been discriminated against - including where access to an assistance dog has been refused - can take legal action to seek to resolve the issue. The EHRC will support people who have experienced discrimination through that process.
This Government supports Guide Dogs UK’s ‘Open Doors’ campaign which aims to achieve the fullest possible access for owners of guide dogs and assistance dogs and has met Guide Dogs UK several times over the last 18 months. I have also met with other MPs and continued discussions with stakeholders on how to improve access to public spaces for disabled people with assistance dogs. This Government will continue to reinforce the message that assistance dogs should be allowed access to businesses and services, except in the most exceptional circumstances.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with a Personal Independence Payment Special Rules award reached the end of their three-year award period and had their benefits award reviewed in each of the last 12 months for which data is available.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Over the past 12 months, 30 individuals with a Personal Independence Payment Special Rules award reached the end of their three-year award period and had benefits reassessed.
Monthly breakdowns cannot be provided due to disclosure control. In the majority of months over the last 12-month period, there were fewer than 5 Special Rules for End of Life claims which reached their award period’s end and were reassessed.
Notes:
- The figure provided is rounded to the nearest 10.
- The figure is for claimants under DWP policy ownership (England, Wales and abroad) and exclude claimants where PIP has been devolved to the Scottish Government in Scotland or the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department plans to issue to employers on obligations under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 following the High Court judgment in Good Law Project v EHRC [2026] EWHC 279 (Admin).
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 cover a wide range of basic health, safety and welfare issues and apply to most workplaces. Employers and building owners have to provide suitable welfare facilities for all workers.
The Regulations and guidance provide minimum requirements in relation to those facilities. I understand that The High Court judgment is being appealed against, and it would not be appropriate to comment while legal proceedings are continuing. In general terms, employers and building owners do need to consider other requirements such as those in Building Regulations and associated Approved Documents for new buildings, as well as their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.