Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleague on developing a cross-departmental strategy to support (a) carers and (b) disabled people into work.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Get Britain Working White Paper sets out a cross-government strategy to address key labour market challenges, especially tackling the increase in economic inactivity over recent years. It is part of wider government action to spread opportunity and fix the foundations of our economy.
This White Paper focuses on support for people who are economically inactive, people who are looking for work or want to progress, and people who are at risk of economic inactivity despite having a desire to stay in work. This includes disabled people, people with a long-term health condition, older people, young people, and those with caring responsibilities.
Additionally, in the Pathways to Work green paper we announced that we will be introducing a new guarantee that anyone who is claiming out of work benefits and is disabled or has a health condition will be able to access specialist work, health and skills support. This will be underpinned by additional funding of £1 billion a year by 2029/30. Following the conclusion of the green paper consultation period we will publish more detail on how the government will deliver the guarantee of access to work, health and skills support. We are working closely with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Secretary of State for Education on this.
On 3 December 2024, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I announced the appointment of Lead Ministers for Disability in every government department. The Lead Ministers for Disability will represent the interests of disabled people and champion disability inclusion and accessibility across each Department as they drive forward progress on the Government’s manifesto commitments and the five Missions.
Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to develop real time information on the availability of accessibility to public transport for disabled passengers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Accessibility and inclusivity are key considerations for the government as we seek to deliver against our key missions, including removing barriers to opportunity and delivering safer streets. The government wants disabled people to be able to travel easily, confidently, and with dignity, and we recognise the role of accurate and up-to-date information in making this possible.
The rail industry provides both static and real-time information to customers through a variety of channels. For example, live lift information and the location of accessible toilet facilities can be accessed via the National Rail Accessibility Map, as well as via the information and live-updates pages on the National Rail Enquiries website. The government also supports programmes such as Smarter Information, Smart Journeys which is working to ensure more information is available for customers on things like where BSL is available at stations, whether there are toilets on board trains and the live location of rail replacement transport.
The Department is undertaking discovery work to capture accessibility assets at bus stops within the National Public Transport Access Nodes (NaPTAN). NaPTAN is also introducing rail replacement data as a priority to align with the expiration of coach operator exemptions from the Accessible Information Regulations which will expire on 31 July 2026.
The Department also launched the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group in November 2024, bringing together industry and consumer representatives, to consider the barriers to air travel for disabled passengers and to develop practical and achievable actions to improve aviation accessibility across the consumer journey.
Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with Network Rail on a timetable to install lighting on the footbridge at Slade Green Station.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Bexley London Borough Council approached Network Rail with a proposal to retrofit LED lighting to the underside of the footbridge handrails at Slade Green station. Network Rail has held meetings with Bexley Council representatives to discuss the proposal and has prepared and issued a Basic Asset Protection Agreement to the council.
Network Rail is working closely with Bexley Council to finalise the outstanding agreements required to move forward with the proposals and remains supportive. The timeframe for the works is influenced by several factors, including the scope of the project, track access, design reviews, and more. We anticipate being able to provide a clearer timeline once the outstanding agreements with the council have been finalised.
Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with Network Rail on maintaining ownership of the northern part of Hornbeam Lane in Barnehurst.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There have are no active discussions between officials in my Department and Network Rail regarding maintaining ownership of the northern part of Hornbeam Lane. If the hon member provides details, my Department would be happy to support the resolution of any issues.
Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of funding allocated to the Support for Families with Disabled Children programme; and what her planned timeline is for reopening the programme.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Each year, the Support for Families with Disabled Children (SFDC) programme provides individual grants to approximately 60,000 low-income families raising a disabled or seriously ill child. The department is pleased to support the SFDC programme, and we expect applications to the scheme to re-open shortly.
Future funding decisions beyond this financial year are subject to the ongoing spending review.
Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Transport for London on the potential impact of extending the DLR to Thamesmead on (a) economic growth and (b) housing delivery.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We appreciate the strategic and economic benefits of new transport infrastructure programmes in London like the DLR extension to Thamesmead.
This government remains committed to supporting London and the transport network on which it depends and regularly engages with TfL to understand its capital portfolio for the long-term.
We continue to work with the Mayor of London and Transport for London on funding for transport in the capital as part of the Spending Review and it will then be for them to decide which projects to take forward.
Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will invest in data infrastructure to better understand where and when disabled children need support.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department collects and publishes information on disabled children, including through the school census, the SEN2 survey and in the children in need census. These returns provide multiple insights on disabled children and young people such as need and provision type, information recorded as part of the education, health and care (EHC) processes, children receiving support for their disability as a child in need and spending on services for disabled children.
Local authorities have clear statutory duties to provide support for disabled children including Section 17(1) of the Children Act 1989 which places a general duty on local authorities to provide services to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are in need (which includes disabled children). The provision relating to the child or young person's specific needs can be recorded in an EHC and/or a family help plan which covers non-statutory targeted early help support and services provided to a child in need where requirements are set out in the department’s 2023 ‘Working together to safeguard children’ guidance.
This national and local data infrastructure enables government and local authorities to plan and deliver more effective services and support for disabled children and young people
The department keeps the content of all our data collections under review, including those which collect information on special educational needs and disabilities, whilst ensuring that the data we collect is necessary, feasible and minimises the data collection burden placed on the sector.
Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Office of Rail and Road on improving access for disabled people on LeShuttle services.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government engages regularly with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to discuss a range of matters and officials meet routinely to discuss the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority (CTSA) and ORR’s regulatory activities concerning Eurotunnel. The Government fully supports efforts to continually improve accessibility on Le Shuttle services.
Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the difference between the (a) fee that will be paid to deliver the NHS Special Schools Eye Care Service and (b) cost of delivering the same clinical care in outpatient paediatric ophthalmology clinics.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The fee that has been put in place to underpin the service is aligned to other fees paid for domiciliary sight testing services. NHS England has committed to investing up to £12.7 million annually on the provision of sight tests and the associated optical vouchers in special educational settings. This provides the potential for these services to reach approximately 165,000 children and young people in over 2,000 educational settings, ensuring sight tests are provided in a familiar environment whilst minimising disruption to the school day.
NHS England has engaged with key stakeholders throughout the life of the programme and continues to work closely with local integrated care board commissioners, and the ophthalmic and voluntary sector, to scale up and roll out sight tests for patients in a special educational setting.
Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will ensure that Great British Railways has a statutory accessibility duty.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Accessibility is a priority for this Government and we are committed to delivering a rail system which allows disabled people to travel easily, confidently and with dignity. The ongoing Railways Bill consultation is already clear that accessibility will be central to Great British Railways.
GBR will therefore be subject to requirements – either licence conditions
or statutory duties – to ensure this happens. That includes requirements relating to accessibility and engaging accessibility stakeholders.