Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to issue updated guidance to caseworkers about the administration of the Access to Work scheme to ensure consistency across the UK; and if so, when they plan to issue that updated guidance.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
To improve consistency, we have introduced training focused on embedding the Access to Work scheme’s principles more clearly. This includes a stronger emphasis on employers’ responsibilities under the Equality Act, ensuring support is awarded in a fair and balanced way.
We have also increased the number of staff working in Access to Work by c.29% and streamlined some processes to improve the service.
We are committed to improving the service and will utilise the outcomes of the Green Paper consultation, the Collaboration Committees, and upcoming work of the Independent Disability Advisory Panel to inform the future direction of Access to Work. Once established we will consider timelines and work closely with stakeholders to ensure an appropriate transition. We continue to review our operational practices and resources, to drive improvements across the service to reduce processing times and the overall experience of our customers.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of wheelchair accessible homes that are being built; and what action they plan to take to encourage local planning authorities to provide more housing built to wheelchair accessible M4 standards.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Data relating to the number of wheelchair accessible homes is not collected centrally, although the (attached) English Housing Survey collects occasional series on accessibility and adaptations within the home.
The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making.
The consultation includes proposals for local planning authorities to set requirements for the delivery of M4(2) and M4(3) housing that will meet or exceed their locally assessed need for these types of housing.
In relation to M4(2) requirements, the government is proposing a national minimum that ensures at least 40% of new housing over the course of the plan period is delivered to M4(2) standards. This approach is intended to ensure that necessary levels of accessible housing are provided, while providing authorities with an appropriate degree of flexibility to maximise housebuilding overall.
Through the consultation we are seeking views on these proposals, including whether 40% is the right minimum proportion or whether an alternative requirement is preferable, and on the potential impacts of our proposals on protected groups under the Public Sector Equality Duty.
The consultation can be found on gov.uk here (attached) and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the delays faced by those ordering essential disability equipment from overseas.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such assessment has been made. At this time the Department is not centrally managing any shortages related to delayed overseas orders of disability equipment. We would encourage any specific detail of supply issues to be shared with the Department.
The Department's National Supply Disruption Response team works with system partners to help mitigate supply issues, including through the coordination of mutual aid, identifying alternative products or clinical practices, regulatory easements, and/or use of the Express Freight Service which can provide bespoke global logistics services in the event of critical supply disruption.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will take steps to enable specialist medical equipment to reach disabled people in the community following the liquidation of NRS Healthcare.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Community equipment, such as wheelchairs, hoists, and other specialist medical equipment, forms an important part of many people’s health and care support package. Such equipment can be critical in supporting better care outcomes, can enable people to remain in or return to their homes as the primary setting for care, and can avoid unnecessary stays in hospital or care homes.
Local authorities have statutory duties under the Care Act 2014 and the Children and Families Act 2014 to arrange for the provision of disability aids and community equipment to meet the assessed needs of individuals in their area. While some local authorities provide these services themselves, many have contracts with external suppliers, such as NRS Healthcare. The Department does not have a statutory role in the provision of community equipment.
However, as part of NRS Healthcare’s liquidation process, the Government made available short-term funding to the Official Receiver to cover the essential operating costs of NRS Healthcare and its affiliated companies. This funding ensured that trading was able to continue for a limited time, minimising disruption by providing crucial time for local authorities to put alternative supply in place. The Department continues to monitor the situation in affected local authorities through Partners in Care and Health, a Department funded programme run in partnership with the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they will give to recent research which has shown that a blood test can detect ovarian cancer.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is committed to improving cancer care for patients across England, including those with ovarian cancer.
As the chances of survival are higher if a cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, early diagnosis is a key priority for the Government. Several tests are currently used to detect ovarian cancer including ultrasound scans, biopsies and blood tests.
The forthcoming National Cancer Plan, which will complement the 10-Year Health Plan, will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for all cancer patients including those with ovarian cancer. In addition to speeding up diagnosis and treatment it will aim to ensure that patients have access to the latest treatments and technology and to clinical and will ultimately bring this country’s cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world. The Department ran a Call for Evidence to inform the development of the national cancer plan, including a question on priorities for cancer research. Over 11,000 responses were received, and these responses have been analysed to prioritise recommendations in the Plan.
The Government recognises that investment is needed across the research pathway, from cellular biology and drug discovery through to translation and application. At the start of that pathway, the Government funds the Medical Research Council through UK Research and Innovation, which in turn works closely with the National Institute for Health and Care Research to identify emerging, viable prospects for translational research.
Alongside, the Government is supporting the Private Members Bill on rare cancers tabled by the Hon. Member for Edinburgh South West (Scott Arthur MP). In developing the bill, a wide range of research and evidence has been considered. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials and research into rare cancers, such as ovarian cancer, to take place in England by ensuring the patient population can be easily contacted by researchers.
More generally, across the field of cancer research, the Department works with relevant bodies to consider the impact of emerging research and associated outcomes, where possible and appropriate. As the question does not name the specific research programme, it is not possible to provide any further detail about the Department’s or associated bodies’ consideration to the research to which the question refers.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to expedite Access to Work applications from disabled people.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to reducing waiting times for claims to the Access to Work Scheme. We have streamlined delivery practices and have increased the number of staff processing claims. We also prioritise customers starting a job in four weeks.
Despite deploying additional staff and streamlining our procedures, the number of Access to Work applications waiting to be processed is continuing to grow.
That’s why, as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the programme to help more disabled people into work and support employers.
Reforms are essential to ensure a better service for customers, to help disabled people start and stay in work, to provide clarity in what support should be provided and to ensure we are providing value for money for the taxpayer.
We will be reviewing all aspects of the Scheme now that the consultation has closed. We are continuing to work closely with stakeholders, and in particular disabled people and their representatives, on all aspects of our proposals.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to build more desalination plants.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A secure water supply is essential for every home and business throughout the country. It is the foundation of our economy, our communities and our security.
Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure supply of water for customers, efficiently and economically and set out how they plan to continue to supply water to their customers through statutory Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs). These plans set out how each company will continue to meet its supply duty and manage water supply and demand, including fixing leaks, sustainably for at least the next 25 years. Within their plans, water companies must consider all options, including demand management and new water resources including reservoirs and water transfers.
The latest WRMPs include proposals for nine new desalination schemes in England. Further information about the schemes can be found at: Appendix C: Revised draft water resources management plans supply options - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many disabled people are employed in the Access to Work division of the Department for Work and Pensions.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP staff are not required to disclose details of any disabilities, however, the information can be voluntarily provided and based on those responses, 127 staff that work for Access to Work have declared a disability.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there are enough English for Speakers of Other Languages classes throughout the country to meet demand, and whether those classes are free for asylum seekers and refugees.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department supports adults aged 19+ in England to access English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision, funded through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF), subject to the eligibility requirements laid out in the ASF. This allows learners to develop the English language skills they need for everyday life, work or further learning.
Adults who are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection by the Home Office, and asylum seekers whose cases have been pending for six months or longer, are eligible for the same skills funding as any other English resident and are not subject to the normal three year qualifying period to access ASF funding.
Currently, approximately 60% of the ASF is devolved to nine mayoral strategic authorities and delegated to the Mayor of London acting through the Greater London Authority. These authorities are responsible for the provision of adult education and allocation of the ASF in their local areas.
The department is responsible for the remaining ASF in non-devolved areas where colleges and training providers have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their ASF to meet the specific needs of their communities.
In non-devolved ASF areas, adults eligible for ASF funding, including those granted humanitarian protection and asylum seekers whose cases have been pending for six months or more, can be fully funded or co-funded to study ESOL, depending on their employment status and salary.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist employers whose premises are inaccessible to potential employees with disabilities.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) runs the Access to Work Scheme which provides grant funding to disabled people, as well as those with a health condition. The grant supports workplace adjustments that go beyond what would normally be expected from an employer through their duty to provide reasonable adjustments as outlined in the Equality Act 2010. This can include grants to make appropriate changes to a place of work, to make them more accessible for the customer.
In addition, as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper published on 18 March, DWP are consulting on the future of the Access to Work scheme.