Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 21 June (HL Deb col 51GC), when they will issue guidance on the promotion and facilitation of British Sign Language (BSL) and establish a BSL advisory board.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
We anticipate that the BSL Board will be established by late Autumn 2022. Guidance on the promotion and facilitation of British Sign Language will follow.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the National Disability Strategy 2022 update.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Minister for Disabled People provided an update on the National Disability Strategy to the House through a Written Ministerial Statement on Monday 13th June.
In January 2022, the High Court declared it 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 are disappointed by and strongly disagree with this finding, and the Secretary of State has sought permission to appeal the High Court's declaration. We remain committed to improving opportunities and outcomes for disabled people as we await the outcome of the appeal.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the finding by the Equality and Human Rights Commission review published on 3 April, Being disabled in Britain: a journey less equal, that across the UK 18.4 per cent of disabled people aged 16 to 64 were considered to be in food poverty in 2014 compared with 7.5 per cent of non-disabled people.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
It is widely acknowledged that the reasons why people are in food poverty are complex and overlapping, and therefore would be misleading to link this to any particular cause. The Government’s approach has been about recognising the value and importance of work, to make work pay and to support people into work whilst protecting the most vulnerable in society. We are committed to ensuring that those in work are paid a fair wage; have opportunities to progress and achieve their potential. We are getting disabled people into employment and working to change attitudes, introducing reforms to make sure that work always pays and that we support people into work. Since June 2016 over 750,000 of people who were receiving incapacity benefits are now either preparing for or looking for work.