Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Wednesday 11th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Satvir Kaur]

If this week has shown us anything, it is that no one is above the law. We have heard a lot about rich, powerful men using their positions to use and hurt women and girls, but these are also stories of strong women, both the victims and those in the media who expose perpetrators in positions of power. I pay tribute to their bravery and courage in coming forward to speak about deeply personal experiences so that justice can be served. We all have a responsibility to root out abuse wherever it is found. The Government are working tirelessly to ensure that offenders are held to account and victims are supported. I will, of course, be happy to meet and to work cross-party.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

7. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that disabled people receive appropriate reasonable adjustments to allow them to access public services.

[The Minister for Equalities (Sir Stephen Timms)]

The Equality Act 2010 places an anticipatory duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled customers.

[Jim Shannon]

I thank the Minister very much for that answer, but he will know that in Northern Ireland the disability employment gap remains, at 40.3%, the largest in the whole of the United Kingdom. Persistently low employment rates are particularly concerning following the loss of the European social fund financial support, which previously aided many employment services and disabled people in Northern Ireland. What discussions will the Minister have with the relevant Minister back home in Northern Ireland to secure sustainable replacement funding for those services, and to ensure that disabled people have the support and opportunities they need to access public services in the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland?

[Sir Stephen Timms]

The hon. Gentleman raises an extremely important point. The disability employment gap has been stuck at the same level across the UK pretty much since 2010. We have committed an extra £3.5 billion over this Parliament to improve employment support for disabled people and others out of work who have complex barriers. We are rolling out Connect to Work across England and Wales. I very much hope that that funding and the Barnett consequentials will enable similar improvements in Northern Ireland.