Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the Equality Act in protecting neurodivergent employees.
Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
The Government is fully committed to the Equality Act 2010 (the Act), which protects disabled people from discrimination in the workplace. The Act prohibits direct and indirect disability discrimination and requires employers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and applicants/candidates, to ensure that they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to their non-disabled colleagues.
On 29 January this year, the Government launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. Many of the panel are diagnosed or identify as neurodivergent and/or have familial experience alongside their professional experience and expertise. The panel will consider the reasons why neurodivergent people have poor experiences in the workplace, and a low overall employment rate.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission and Acas have also published comprehensive guidance for employers on their obligations to disabled employees and job applicants under the 2010 Act and Acas provides a helpline for people who think they have experienced discrimination at work.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of back-to-office policies on the workplace inclusion of disabled people.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It is recognised that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. To build on this, the Government has asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The review is expected to produce a final report with recommendations in autumn 2025.
All employers have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments in the workplace where a disabled person would otherwise be put at a substantial disadvantage compared with their colleagues. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Equality Act and providing guidance on reasonable adjustments.
There has been research on the attitudes around homeworking from the DWP work aspirations project. It found that there were mixed attitudes towards homeworking.
The Office for National Statistics Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (2023) analysed homeworkers, including the prevalence of hybrid working. The survey found that having a disability or long-term condition had little effect on levels of homeworking. Disabled workers reported similar levels of homeworking only (18%) compared with non-disabled (16%). Workers who had a long-term condition for 12 months or more similarly reported homeworking at 18% compared with 15% without. The survey found that there was a difference for hybrid working - Disabled workers are significantly less likely to have hybrid working patterns (24%) compared to non-disabled workers (30%).
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to include Chronic UTIs in the (a) 10-year Health Strategy and (b) next iteration of the Women’s Health Strategy.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Plan will set out how we tackle the inequities that lead to poor health. This will include how we will improve access to, and the experience of care for, conditions such as chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs). More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all support people to manage their conditions, including chronic UTIs, closer to home.
We are aware that recurrent UTIs are more prevalent in women. The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future, and our focus is on turning the commitments in the Women's Health Strategy into tangible actions to improve health for women.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that future changes to the (a) soft drinks industry levy and (b) other measures relating to sugar are responsive to the needs of people with Type 1 Diabetes who require continued access to affordable high sugar foods.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The prevention of ill health is a priority for the Government. We are committed to tackling obesity as a core part of our health mission, to support people to live longer, healthier lives and raise the healthiest generation of children.
Most of the population are consuming double the free sugar recommendations of 5% total daily calorie intake. Diets high in sugar increase the risk of tooth decay and weight gain. Being overweight or living with obesity is associated with a range of negative health impacts such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some kinds of cancers.
People with type 1 diabetes should only consume high sugar drinks in the event of hypoglycaemia, because of not eating enough carbohydrates or taking too much insulin. With proper management, hypoglycaemia should be a rare event, and the consumption of high sugar drinks kept to a minimum. In addition, high sugar drinks are available at a variety of price points.
Diabetes UK has provided an online summary of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) and put this in the context of diabetes and its management. It includes advice on the use of drinks to treat hypoglycaemia and highlights that other products can also be used for this purpose e.g. glucose tablets, sweets such as jelly babies, pure fruit juice or glucose gels. It also highlights that some treatments may be prescribed for free for people with diabetes. Further information can be found at the following link:
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/living-with-diabetes/eating/sugar-reduction-hypo-treatment-sugar-tax
NHS England is supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve treatment and care for their populations and reduce variation of diabetes care, with NHS England supporting systems to be aware of the national data and insights through benchmarking and promoting good practice. NHS England has provided £3 million of funding to systems to provide clinical leadership to ensure that clinical diabetes metrics, such as care processes and treatment targets, are reviewed at ICB level and unwarranted variation identified. A resource hub of materials has been set up on Future NHS, including examples of innovation and best practice for improvement of care process delivery, and achievement of treatment targets.
The SDIL came into force in 2018 and applies to producers and importers of added sugar soft drinks that contain 5 grams total sugar or more per 100 millilitres. If the currently proposed change to the lower sugar threshold comes into force, it will only impact around 17% of additional sales volumes for products containing between 4 and 4.9 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres. The only change impacting high sugar drinks is the uprating of the tax rate, and with both these changes it is up to businesses to decide whether to pass through to consumers any additional costs associated with paying the tax.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of sitting year 6 SATs on children with both anxiety and special educational needs.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Statutory tests and assessments at primary school are an important part of ensuring that all pupils master the basics of reading, writing and mathematics to prepare them to achieve and thrive at secondary school. They are subject to robust test development processes, which include reviews involving teachers and experts in special educational needs (SEN). Schools can utilise a range of access arrangements where appropriate, and pupils should only take tests if, in the view of the head teacher, they are in a fit physical and mental state to do so.
Although it is important that schools encourage their pupils to do their best in the tests, the department does not recommend that pupils in primary school devote excessive preparation time to assessments, and not at the expense of pupils’ mental health and wellbeing. Schools should support a culture of wellbeing amongst staff and pupils, including for pupils with anxiety and SEN.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the availability of givinostat to patients eligible through early access programmes.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department understands the impact that Duchenne muscular dystrophy has on those living with it, and their families, and the urgent need for new treatment options. If new therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy are approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), then appropriate commissioning plans will be put in place to enable equitable access to treatment through Specialised Neurology Services.
The delivery of timely and equitable access to new treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy under company-sponsored early access schemes (EAPs) is not the responsibility of NHS England. Participation in company-led schemes is decided at an individual National Health Service trust level and under these programmes, the cost of the drug is free to both the patients taking part in it, and to the NHS, although NHS trusts must still cover the administration costs and provide the clinical resources to deliver the EAP.
NHS England has published guidance for integrated care systems (ICS) on free of charge medicines schemes, providing advice on potential financial, resourcing, and clinical risks.
ICSs should use the guidance to help determine whether to implement any free of charge scheme, including assessing suitability and any risks in the short, medium, and long term. The guidance is available at the following link:
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a work allowance within Universal Credit for unpaid carers looking after (a) disabled and (b) ill (i) relatives and (ii) friends; if she will make an estimate of the (A) number of unpaid carers who would be affected by and (B) the cost to the public purse of implementing this.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No recent assessment has been made.
The carers element in Universal Credit is an additional amount of benefit paid to support carers who provide care of 35 hours or more each week for a severely disabled person and as such these particular claimants have no work-related requirements. The carer’s element is paid in recognition of the support provided by carers for relatives, partners and friends who may be ill, frail or disabled.
Work allowances in Universal Credit are currently focussed on those with work requirements who may face additional barriers to finding and keeping work. These are for people with children and people who have limited capability for work because of a health condition or disability.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many unpaid carers have entitlement to (a) Carer's Allowance and Universal Credit, (b) Carer Element and Universal Credit and (c) a combination of Carer's Allowance, Carer Element and Universal Credit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
(a) As of November 2024, there were 652,752 individuals entitled to both Carer’s Allowance and Universal Credit in England and Wales.
(b) As of November 2024, there were 978,159 households with Carers Entitlement to Universal Credit in Great Britain, with 893,258 of these in England and Wales.
(c) The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to extend military hearing loss compensation to veterans who were discharged before 1987.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
It is already the case that Veterans discharged before 6 April 2005 (including before 1987), who consider that damage to their hearing was caused or made worse by their Service, may be eligible to claim compensation under the terms of the War Pension Scheme (WPS). There is no time limit for making a claim under the WPS. Information about how to make an application can be found at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-armed-forces-compensation-or-a-war-pension
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department plans to commission an independent inquiry into the (a) scientific validity, (b) cost and (c) potential misuse of hair strand testing for methamphetamine in family court proceedings.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice has no plans to commission an independent inquiry into the (a) scientific validity, (b) cost and (c) potential misuse of hair strand testing for methamphetamine in family court proceedings.
The President of the Family Division has set up a working group of the Family Justice Council on the use of hair strand testing in the family courts. We await the group’s findings with interest.