Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures are in place to support employers in implementing workplace adjustments and creating inclusive working environments for disabled employees.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

In November 2025, Sir Charlie Mayfield published the Keep Britain Working Report, setting out recommendations to reshape how Government works with employers to improve work and health outcomes through creating healthier, more inclusive workplaces. He is now working with volunteer employers, providers and regions through a Vanguard Phase to test and refine approaches to help disabled workers and workers with long-term health conditions, receive the support they need to remain and thrive in employment. These include developing effective stay in work and return to work practices, strengthening prevention, and building the evidence needed to spread good practice.

The Disability Confident scheme supports employers to recruit, retain and develop disabled people and people with long-term health conditions. It provides practical guidance and resources to help employers make workplace adjustments, support disabled employees to remain in work and create more inclusive workplaces.

Disability Confident encourages employers to consider workplace adjustments throughout employment, including recruitment, induction, day-to-day working, career development and progression. Its practical guidance, such as the Disability Confident Manager’s Guide, highlights that many adjustments are straightforward and may not involve additional cost and encourages employers to focus on removing barriers and enabling disabled employees to do their jobs effectively. Disability Confident reforms announced in January 2026 will introduce clearer standards, improved verification arrangements and greater emphasis on employee voice and lived experience.

Additionally, we have developed a digital information service for employers, called Support with Employee Health and Disability, which offers tailored guidance to employers on supporting disabled people and people with health conditions in the workplace. This includes guidance on disclosure and having conversations about health and disability, plus guidance on legal obligations and making reasonable adjustments.

Where there is a need for workplace adjustments beyond what an employer can reasonably be expected to provide, grants are available from the Access to Work fund.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of in-house and externally commissioned occupational health provision in supporting disabled employees to remain in work.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government recognises the important role that Occupational Health can play in supporting people to stay in work, preventing avoidable sickness absence and reducing health-related economic inactivity. A sustainable multidisciplinary occupational health workforce is essential to delivering these outcomes. The Occupational Health Workforce Expansion scheme was launched in July 2023 and provided funded occupational health training and examinations for doctors and nurses. Between 2023 and 2026, the scheme funded 218 courses and 222 examinations.

Overall, Occupational Health can help employers manage workplace health risks and provide advice on fitness for work, workplace adjustments, rehabilitation and return to work, and through these improve access to employment for disabled people. Both in-house and externally commissioned Occupational Health can be instrumental in supporting both individuals and employers achieve these aims. The Keep Britain Working programme is working with the OH sector to ensure employers are getting the support they need and examining how to make this support as affordable and accessible as possible.

More widely, the Keep Britain Working (KBW) Review established that the UK needs a new workplace health system – based on better, more supportive workplaces, more effective, workplace health support through employers, and greater transparency on employer outcomes to encourage benchmarking and innovation.

To deliver more effective workplace health support, KBW is developing a draft specification for this support that centres on coordination and case management. This is intended to support both employees and line managers to agree stay in work or return to work plans alongside providing practical advice and guidance, and early access to mental health and musculoskeletal support.

Since publication, we have been working with Vanguard employers and providers across different sizes and sectors, Disabled People's Organisations and people with lived experience to examine what constitutes effective workplace health provision, including occupational health support, ensuring the workplace health system supports more inclusive workplaces and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions. This work is informing the development of employer-facing Workplace Health Provision and a Healthy Working Lifecycle Standard, helping to identify and spread good practice on prevention, staying in work and returning to work. The evidence gathered through the Vanguard Phase will help inform future guidance, support and wider reforms to improve work and health outcomes. Specialist occupational health advice will continue to play an important role as part of workplace health provision, where appropriate and needed to support employees to stay at work. Part of this work will be creating an affordable, accessible workplace health provision offer for employers of all sizes.

Additionally, in recognition of the vital role Occupational Health awareness can play in helping disabled people to thrive in work, the Department for Work and Pensions is taking forward a further funded round of Occupational Health training for line managers in small and medium-sized enterprises. The accredited training will help line managers build the confidence and capability to support employees with health conditions and disabilities, have effective workplace health conversations, support workplace adjustments and retention, and encourage earlier intervention where appropriate. This is particularly important for smaller employers that may not have dedicated Human Resources or Occupational Health support.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has considered establishing a nationally funded occupational health support scheme for small and medium-sized enterprises employing disabled people.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government recognises the important role that Occupational Health can play in supporting people to stay in work, preventing avoidable sickness absence and reducing health-related economic inactivity. A sustainable multidisciplinary occupational health workforce is essential to delivering these outcomes. The Occupational Health Workforce Expansion scheme was launched in July 2023 and provided funded occupational health training and examinations for doctors and nurses. Between 2023 and 2026, the scheme funded 218 courses and 222 examinations.

Overall, Occupational Health can help employers manage workplace health risks and provide advice on fitness for work, workplace adjustments, rehabilitation and return to work, and through these improve access to employment for disabled people. Both in-house and externally commissioned Occupational Health can be instrumental in supporting both individuals and employers achieve these aims. The Keep Britain Working programme is working with the OH sector to ensure employers are getting the support they need and examining how to make this support as affordable and accessible as possible.

More widely, the Keep Britain Working (KBW) Review established that the UK needs a new workplace health system – based on better, more supportive workplaces, more effective, workplace health support through employers, and greater transparency on employer outcomes to encourage benchmarking and innovation.

To deliver more effective workplace health support, KBW is developing a draft specification for this support that centres on coordination and case management. This is intended to support both employees and line managers to agree stay in work or return to work plans alongside providing practical advice and guidance, and early access to mental health and musculoskeletal support.

Since publication, we have been working with Vanguard employers and providers across different sizes and sectors, Disabled People's Organisations and people with lived experience to examine what constitutes effective workplace health provision, including occupational health support, ensuring the workplace health system supports more inclusive workplaces and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions. This work is informing the development of employer-facing Workplace Health Provision and a Healthy Working Lifecycle Standard, helping to identify and spread good practice on prevention, staying in work and returning to work. The evidence gathered through the Vanguard Phase will help inform future guidance, support and wider reforms to improve work and health outcomes. Specialist occupational health advice will continue to play an important role as part of workplace health provision, where appropriate and needed to support employees to stay at work. Part of this work will be creating an affordable, accessible workplace health provision offer for employers of all sizes.

Additionally, in recognition of the vital role Occupational Health awareness can play in helping disabled people to thrive in work, the Department for Work and Pensions is taking forward a further funded round of Occupational Health training for line managers in small and medium-sized enterprises. The accredited training will help line managers build the confidence and capability to support employees with health conditions and disabilities, have effective workplace health conversations, support workplace adjustments and retention, and encourage earlier intervention where appropriate. This is particularly important for smaller employers that may not have dedicated Human Resources or Occupational Health support.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the his Department is taking to improve employer access to independent occupational health advice to support the recruitment and retention of disabled workers.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government recognises the important role that Occupational Health can play in supporting people to stay in work, preventing avoidable sickness absence and reducing health-related economic inactivity. A sustainable multidisciplinary occupational health workforce is essential to delivering these outcomes. The Occupational Health Workforce Expansion scheme was launched in July 2023 and provided funded occupational health training and examinations for doctors and nurses. Between 2023 and 2026, the scheme funded 218 courses and 222 examinations.

Overall, Occupational Health can help employers manage workplace health risks and provide advice on fitness for work, workplace adjustments, rehabilitation and return to work, and through these improve access to employment for disabled people. Both in-house and externally commissioned Occupational Health can be instrumental in supporting both individuals and employers achieve these aims. The Keep Britain Working programme is working with the OH sector to ensure employers are getting the support they need and examining how to make this support as affordable and accessible as possible.

More widely, the Keep Britain Working (KBW) Review established that the UK needs a new workplace health system – based on better, more supportive workplaces, more effective, workplace health support through employers, and greater transparency on employer outcomes to encourage benchmarking and innovation.

To deliver more effective workplace health support, KBW is developing a draft specification for this support that centres on coordination and case management. This is intended to support both employees and line managers to agree stay in work or return to work plans alongside providing practical advice and guidance, and early access to mental health and musculoskeletal support.

Since publication, we have been working with Vanguard employers and providers across different sizes and sectors, Disabled People's Organisations and people with lived experience to examine what constitutes effective workplace health provision, including occupational health support, ensuring the workplace health system supports more inclusive workplaces and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions. This work is informing the development of employer-facing Workplace Health Provision and a Healthy Working Lifecycle Standard, helping to identify and spread good practice on prevention, staying in work and returning to work. The evidence gathered through the Vanguard Phase will help inform future guidance, support and wider reforms to improve work and health outcomes. Specialist occupational health advice will continue to play an important role as part of workplace health provision, where appropriate and needed to support employees to stay at work. Part of this work will be creating an affordable, accessible workplace health provision offer for employers of all sizes.

Additionally, in recognition of the vital role Occupational Health awareness can play in helping disabled people to thrive in work, the Department for Work and Pensions is taking forward a further funded round of Occupational Health training for line managers in small and medium-sized enterprises. The accredited training will help line managers build the confidence and capability to support employees with health conditions and disabilities, have effective workplace health conversations, support workplace adjustments and retention, and encourage earlier intervention where appropriate. This is particularly important for smaller employers that may not have dedicated Human Resources or Occupational Health support.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department can help to expand the occupational health workforce and fill existing vacancies.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government recognises the important role that Occupational Health can play in supporting people to stay in work, preventing avoidable sickness absence and reducing health-related economic inactivity. A sustainable multidisciplinary occupational health workforce is essential to delivering these outcomes. The Occupational Health Workforce Expansion scheme was launched in July 2023 and provided funded occupational health training and examinations for doctors and nurses. Between 2023 and 2026, the scheme funded 218 courses and 222 examinations.

Overall, Occupational Health can help employers manage workplace health risks and provide advice on fitness for work, workplace adjustments, rehabilitation and return to work, and through these improve access to employment for disabled people. Both in-house and externally commissioned Occupational Health can be instrumental in supporting both individuals and employers achieve these aims. The Keep Britain Working programme is working with the OH sector to ensure employers are getting the support they need and examining how to make this support as affordable and accessible as possible.

More widely, the Keep Britain Working (KBW) Review established that the UK needs a new workplace health system – based on better, more supportive workplaces, more effective, workplace health support through employers, and greater transparency on employer outcomes to encourage benchmarking and innovation.

To deliver more effective workplace health support, KBW is developing a draft specification for this support that centres on coordination and case management. This is intended to support both employees and line managers to agree stay in work or return to work plans alongside providing practical advice and guidance, and early access to mental health and musculoskeletal support.

Since publication, we have been working with Vanguard employers and providers across different sizes and sectors, Disabled People's Organisations and people with lived experience to examine what constitutes effective workplace health provision, including occupational health support, ensuring the workplace health system supports more inclusive workplaces and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions. This work is informing the development of employer-facing Workplace Health Provision and a Healthy Working Lifecycle Standard, helping to identify and spread good practice on prevention, staying in work and returning to work. The evidence gathered through the Vanguard Phase will help inform future guidance, support and wider reforms to improve work and health outcomes. Specialist occupational health advice will continue to play an important role as part of workplace health provision, where appropriate and needed to support employees to stay at work. Part of this work will be creating an affordable, accessible workplace health provision offer for employers of all sizes.

Additionally, in recognition of the vital role Occupational Health awareness can play in helping disabled people to thrive in work, the Department for Work and Pensions is taking forward a further funded round of Occupational Health training for line managers in small and medium-sized enterprises. The accredited training will help line managers build the confidence and capability to support employees with health conditions and disabilities, have effective workplace health conversations, support workplace adjustments and retention, and encourage earlier intervention where appropriate. This is particularly important for smaller employers that may not have dedicated Human Resources or Occupational Health support.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he will take to support small businesses to offer occupational health services.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government recognises the important role that Occupational Health can play in supporting people to stay in work, preventing avoidable sickness absence and reducing health-related economic inactivity. A sustainable multidisciplinary occupational health workforce is essential to delivering these outcomes. The Occupational Health Workforce Expansion scheme was launched in July 2023 and provided funded occupational health training and examinations for doctors and nurses. Between 2023 and 2026, the scheme funded 218 courses and 222 examinations.

Overall, Occupational Health can help employers manage workplace health risks and provide advice on fitness for work, workplace adjustments, rehabilitation and return to work, and through these improve access to employment for disabled people. Both in-house and externally commissioned Occupational Health can be instrumental in supporting both individuals and employers achieve these aims. The Keep Britain Working programme is working with the OH sector to ensure employers are getting the support they need and examining how to make this support as affordable and accessible as possible.

More widely, the Keep Britain Working (KBW) Review established that the UK needs a new workplace health system – based on better, more supportive workplaces, more effective, workplace health support through employers, and greater transparency on employer outcomes to encourage benchmarking and innovation.

To deliver more effective workplace health support, KBW is developing a draft specification for this support that centres on coordination and case management. This is intended to support both employees and line managers to agree stay in work or return to work plans alongside providing practical advice and guidance, and early access to mental health and musculoskeletal support.

Since publication, we have been working with Vanguard employers and providers across different sizes and sectors, Disabled People's Organisations and people with lived experience to examine what constitutes effective workplace health provision, including occupational health support, ensuring the workplace health system supports more inclusive workplaces and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions. This work is informing the development of employer-facing Workplace Health Provision and a Healthy Working Lifecycle Standard, helping to identify and spread good practice on prevention, staying in work and returning to work. The evidence gathered through the Vanguard Phase will help inform future guidance, support and wider reforms to improve work and health outcomes. Specialist occupational health advice will continue to play an important role as part of workplace health provision, where appropriate and needed to support employees to stay at work. Part of this work will be creating an affordable, accessible workplace health provision offer for employers of all sizes.

Additionally, in recognition of the vital role Occupational Health awareness can play in helping disabled people to thrive in work, the Department for Work and Pensions is taking forward a further funded round of Occupational Health training for line managers in small and medium-sized enterprises. The accredited training will help line managers build the confidence and capability to support employees with health conditions and disabilities, have effective workplace health conversations, support workplace adjustments and retention, and encourage earlier intervention where appropriate. This is particularly important for smaller employers that may not have dedicated Human Resources or Occupational Health support.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department plans to use guidance on occupational health to support the goals of Keep Britain Working.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government recognises the important role that Occupational Health can play in supporting people to stay in work, preventing avoidable sickness absence and reducing health-related economic inactivity. A sustainable multidisciplinary occupational health workforce is essential to delivering these outcomes. The Occupational Health Workforce Expansion scheme was launched in July 2023 and provided funded occupational health training and examinations for doctors and nurses. Between 2023 and 2026, the scheme funded 218 courses and 222 examinations.

Overall, Occupational Health can help employers manage workplace health risks and provide advice on fitness for work, workplace adjustments, rehabilitation and return to work, and through these improve access to employment for disabled people. Both in-house and externally commissioned Occupational Health can be instrumental in supporting both individuals and employers achieve these aims. The Keep Britain Working programme is working with the OH sector to ensure employers are getting the support they need and examining how to make this support as affordable and accessible as possible.

More widely, the Keep Britain Working (KBW) Review established that the UK needs a new workplace health system – based on better, more supportive workplaces, more effective, workplace health support through employers, and greater transparency on employer outcomes to encourage benchmarking and innovation.

To deliver more effective workplace health support, KBW is developing a draft specification for this support that centres on coordination and case management. This is intended to support both employees and line managers to agree stay in work or return to work plans alongside providing practical advice and guidance, and early access to mental health and musculoskeletal support.

Since publication, we have been working with Vanguard employers and providers across different sizes and sectors, Disabled People's Organisations and people with lived experience to examine what constitutes effective workplace health provision, including occupational health support, ensuring the workplace health system supports more inclusive workplaces and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions. This work is informing the development of employer-facing Workplace Health Provision and a Healthy Working Lifecycle Standard, helping to identify and spread good practice on prevention, staying in work and returning to work. The evidence gathered through the Vanguard Phase will help inform future guidance, support and wider reforms to improve work and health outcomes. Specialist occupational health advice will continue to play an important role as part of workplace health provision, where appropriate and needed to support employees to stay at work. Part of this work will be creating an affordable, accessible workplace health provision offer for employers of all sizes.

Additionally, in recognition of the vital role Occupational Health awareness can play in helping disabled people to thrive in work, the Department for Work and Pensions is taking forward a further funded round of Occupational Health training for line managers in small and medium-sized enterprises. The accredited training will help line managers build the confidence and capability to support employees with health conditions and disabilities, have effective workplace health conversations, support workplace adjustments and retention, and encourage earlier intervention where appropriate. This is particularly important for smaller employers that may not have dedicated Human Resources or Occupational Health support.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the extent to which the quality, effectiveness and degree of tailoring of occupational health services are affected by the way employers specify, procure and contract for those services.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government recognises the important role that Occupational Health can play in supporting people to stay in work, preventing avoidable sickness absence and reducing health-related economic inactivity. A sustainable multidisciplinary occupational health workforce is essential to delivering these outcomes. The Occupational Health Workforce Expansion scheme was launched in July 2023 and provided funded occupational health training and examinations for doctors and nurses. Between 2023 and 2026, the scheme funded 218 courses and 222 examinations.

Overall, Occupational Health can help employers manage workplace health risks and provide advice on fitness for work, workplace adjustments, rehabilitation and return to work, and through these improve access to employment for disabled people. Both in-house and externally commissioned Occupational Health can be instrumental in supporting both individuals and employers achieve these aims. The Keep Britain Working programme is working with the OH sector to ensure employers are getting the support they need and examining how to make this support as affordable and accessible as possible.

More widely, the Keep Britain Working (KBW) Review established that the UK needs a new workplace health system – based on better, more supportive workplaces, more effective, workplace health support through employers, and greater transparency on employer outcomes to encourage benchmarking and innovation.

To deliver more effective workplace health support, KBW is developing a draft specification for this support that centres on coordination and case management. This is intended to support both employees and line managers to agree stay in work or return to work plans alongside providing practical advice and guidance, and early access to mental health and musculoskeletal support.

Since publication, we have been working with Vanguard employers and providers across different sizes and sectors, Disabled People's Organisations and people with lived experience to examine what constitutes effective workplace health provision, including occupational health support, ensuring the workplace health system supports more inclusive workplaces and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions. This work is informing the development of employer-facing Workplace Health Provision and a Healthy Working Lifecycle Standard, helping to identify and spread good practice on prevention, staying in work and returning to work. The evidence gathered through the Vanguard Phase will help inform future guidance, support and wider reforms to improve work and health outcomes. Specialist occupational health advice will continue to play an important role as part of workplace health provision, where appropriate and needed to support employees to stay at work. Part of this work will be creating an affordable, accessible workplace health provision offer for employers of all sizes.

Additionally, in recognition of the vital role Occupational Health awareness can play in helping disabled people to thrive in work, the Department for Work and Pensions is taking forward a further funded round of Occupational Health training for line managers in small and medium-sized enterprises. The accredited training will help line managers build the confidence and capability to support employees with health conditions and disabilities, have effective workplace health conversations, support workplace adjustments and retention, and encourage earlier intervention where appropriate. This is particularly important for smaller employers that may not have dedicated Human Resources or Occupational Health support.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of workplace rehabilitation services on reducing economic inactivity amongst disabled people.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government recognises the important role that Occupational Health can play in supporting people to stay in work, preventing avoidable sickness absence and reducing health-related economic inactivity. A sustainable multidisciplinary occupational health workforce is essential to delivering these outcomes. The Occupational Health Workforce Expansion scheme was launched in July 2023 and provided funded occupational health training and examinations for doctors and nurses. Between 2023 and 2026, the scheme funded 218 courses and 222 examinations.

Overall, Occupational Health can help employers manage workplace health risks and provide advice on fitness for work, workplace adjustments, rehabilitation and return to work, and through these improve access to employment for disabled people. Both in-house and externally commissioned Occupational Health can be instrumental in supporting both individuals and employers achieve these aims. The Keep Britain Working programme is working with the OH sector to ensure employers are getting the support they need and examining how to make this support as affordable and accessible as possible.

More widely, the Keep Britain Working (KBW) Review established that the UK needs a new workplace health system – based on better, more supportive workplaces, more effective, workplace health support through employers, and greater transparency on employer outcomes to encourage benchmarking and innovation.

To deliver more effective workplace health support, KBW is developing a draft specification for this support that centres on coordination and case management. This is intended to support both employees and line managers to agree stay in work or return to work plans alongside providing practical advice and guidance, and early access to mental health and musculoskeletal support.

Since publication, we have been working with Vanguard employers and providers across different sizes and sectors, Disabled People's Organisations and people with lived experience to examine what constitutes effective workplace health provision, including occupational health support, ensuring the workplace health system supports more inclusive workplaces and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions. This work is informing the development of employer-facing Workplace Health Provision and a Healthy Working Lifecycle Standard, helping to identify and spread good practice on prevention, staying in work and returning to work. The evidence gathered through the Vanguard Phase will help inform future guidance, support and wider reforms to improve work and health outcomes. Specialist occupational health advice will continue to play an important role as part of workplace health provision, where appropriate and needed to support employees to stay at work. Part of this work will be creating an affordable, accessible workplace health provision offer for employers of all sizes.

Additionally, in recognition of the vital role Occupational Health awareness can play in helping disabled people to thrive in work, the Department for Work and Pensions is taking forward a further funded round of Occupational Health training for line managers in small and medium-sized enterprises. The accredited training will help line managers build the confidence and capability to support employees with health conditions and disabilities, have effective workplace health conversations, support workplace adjustments and retention, and encourage earlier intervention where appropriate. This is particularly important for smaller employers that may not have dedicated Human Resources or Occupational Health support.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of occupational health services on improving access to employment for disabled people.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government recognises the important role that Occupational Health can play in supporting people to stay in work, preventing avoidable sickness absence and reducing health-related economic inactivity. A sustainable multidisciplinary occupational health workforce is essential to delivering these outcomes. The Occupational Health Workforce Expansion scheme was launched in July 2023 and provided funded occupational health training and examinations for doctors and nurses. Between 2023 and 2026, the scheme funded 218 courses and 222 examinations.

Overall, Occupational Health can help employers manage workplace health risks and provide advice on fitness for work, workplace adjustments, rehabilitation and return to work, and through these improve access to employment for disabled people. Both in-house and externally commissioned Occupational Health can be instrumental in supporting both individuals and employers achieve these aims. The Keep Britain Working programme is working with the OH sector to ensure employers are getting the support they need and examining how to make this support as affordable and accessible as possible.

More widely, the Keep Britain Working (KBW) Review established that the UK needs a new workplace health system – based on better, more supportive workplaces, more effective, workplace health support through employers, and greater transparency on employer outcomes to encourage benchmarking and innovation.

To deliver more effective workplace health support, KBW is developing a draft specification for this support that centres on coordination and case management. This is intended to support both employees and line managers to agree stay in work or return to work plans alongside providing practical advice and guidance, and early access to mental health and musculoskeletal support.

Since publication, we have been working with Vanguard employers and providers across different sizes and sectors, Disabled People's Organisations and people with lived experience to examine what constitutes effective workplace health provision, including occupational health support, ensuring the workplace health system supports more inclusive workplaces and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions. This work is informing the development of employer-facing Workplace Health Provision and a Healthy Working Lifecycle Standard, helping to identify and spread good practice on prevention, staying in work and returning to work. The evidence gathered through the Vanguard Phase will help inform future guidance, support and wider reforms to improve work and health outcomes. Specialist occupational health advice will continue to play an important role as part of workplace health provision, where appropriate and needed to support employees to stay at work. Part of this work will be creating an affordable, accessible workplace health provision offer for employers of all sizes.

Additionally, in recognition of the vital role Occupational Health awareness can play in helping disabled people to thrive in work, the Department for Work and Pensions is taking forward a further funded round of Occupational Health training for line managers in small and medium-sized enterprises. The accredited training will help line managers build the confidence and capability to support employees with health conditions and disabilities, have effective workplace health conversations, support workplace adjustments and retention, and encourage earlier intervention where appropriate. This is particularly important for smaller employers that may not have dedicated Human Resources or Occupational Health support.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the way employers use, frame and communicate occupational health services affects disabled employees’ perceptions of those services and their willingness to engage with them; and what consideration it has given to framing occupational health as part of a wider approach to health at work.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government recognises the important role that Occupational Health can play in supporting people to stay in work, preventing avoidable sickness absence and reducing health-related economic inactivity. A sustainable multidisciplinary occupational health workforce is essential to delivering these outcomes. The Occupational Health Workforce Expansion scheme was launched in July 2023 and provided funded occupational health training and examinations for doctors and nurses. Between 2023 and 2026, the scheme funded 218 courses and 222 examinations.

Overall, Occupational Health can help employers manage workplace health risks and provide advice on fitness for work, workplace adjustments, rehabilitation and return to work, and through these improve access to employment for disabled people. Both in-house and externally commissioned Occupational Health can be instrumental in supporting both individuals and employers achieve these aims. The Keep Britain Working programme is working with the OH sector to ensure employers are getting the support they need and examining how to make this support as affordable and accessible as possible.

More widely, the Keep Britain Working (KBW) Review established that the UK needs a new workplace health system – based on better, more supportive workplaces, more effective, workplace health support through employers, and greater transparency on employer outcomes to encourage benchmarking and innovation.

To deliver more effective workplace health support, KBW is developing a draft specification for this support that centres on coordination and case management. This is intended to support both employees and line managers to agree stay in work or return to work plans alongside providing practical advice and guidance, and early access to mental health and musculoskeletal support.

Since publication, we have been working with Vanguard employers and providers across different sizes and sectors, Disabled People's Organisations and people with lived experience to examine what constitutes effective workplace health provision, including occupational health support, ensuring the workplace health system supports more inclusive workplaces and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions. This work is informing the development of employer-facing Workplace Health Provision and a Healthy Working Lifecycle Standard, helping to identify and spread good practice on prevention, staying in work and returning to work. The evidence gathered through the Vanguard Phase will help inform future guidance, support and wider reforms to improve work and health outcomes. Specialist occupational health advice will continue to play an important role as part of workplace health provision, where appropriate and needed to support employees to stay at work. Part of this work will be creating an affordable, accessible workplace health provision offer for employers of all sizes.

Additionally, in recognition of the vital role Occupational Health awareness can play in helping disabled people to thrive in work, the Department for Work and Pensions is taking forward a further funded round of Occupational Health training for line managers in small and medium-sized enterprises. The accredited training will help line managers build the confidence and capability to support employees with health conditions and disabilities, have effective workplace health conversations, support workplace adjustments and retention, and encourage earlier intervention where appropriate. This is particularly important for smaller employers that may not have dedicated Human Resources or Occupational Health support.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the Palestinian Authority’s implementation of the terms of the UK-Palestinian Strategic Co-operation MOU; and which areas of concern were raised with the Palestinian Authority at the 2026 annual strategic dialogue.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK-Palestinian Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on 28 April 2025, provides a framework for strengthening and deepening the bilateral relationship. Since its signature, the UK and the Palestinian Authority have made progress across a range of shared priorities, including our commitment to advancing a viable two-state solution. The first UK-Palestinian Strategic Dialogue is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2027. In the meantime, we remain in regular contact with the Palestinian Authority, including on issues covered by the MoU.

I recently spoke to the Foreign Minister and Vice-President in this regard.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer to Question 104985, whether he has received assurances from the Palestinian Authority that it will publish the findings of an independent audit it commissioned into the continuation of the Palestinian Authority's practise of paying salaries to convicted terrorists and their families.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided in the House of Lords on 2 October in response to Question HL3470, printed here for ease:

"A reformed Palestinian Authority is essential to long-term stability in the region and progressing towards a two-state solution. We welcome the Palestinian Authority's commitment, underlined in the UK-PA Memorandum of Understanding, to reform prisoner payments so that welfare payments are based on needs and not linked to acts of violence. The audit has been completed, and initial reports indicate that the new needs-based system is in place. We await full publication of the audit so that this can be verified. Alongside our partners, the UK will continue to support the Palestinian Authority as it delivers its important reform agenda."

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what offers his Department has received from renewable energy developers to fund or contribute towards upgrades to the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

As far as I am aware, the only engagement the Ministry of Defence has had with a renewable energy developer concerning the management of wind turbine interference in the vicinity of the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array is regarding borehole sensor technology.

The Department has considered this proposal and has supported a technical investigation by experts from the Atomic Weapons Establishment to assess their feasibility. However, the MOD's safeguarding decisions are based on scientific evidence and operational requirements, and any proposed mitigation must be shown to be effective and reliable before it could be taken forward.

The MOD continues to work closely with DESNZ to safeguard the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array while supporting the Government's clean energy ambitions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of whether technological upgrades to the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array could enable additional onshore wind development without compromising its operational capability.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has worked closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNEZ) over onshore wind deployment in the vicinity of the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array, which supports the United Kingdom's obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. As part of this work, the MOD supported experimental testing of alternative technologies and has considered assessments undertaken by specialist technical advisers and independent seismology experts.

DESNZ has recently consulted on a revised approach to managing onshore wind turbine interference in the vicinity of the Array. The MOD and DESNZ have also commissioned an independent scientific review of alternative technological solutions.

Previously, evidence made available to the Department has not demonstrated that proposed alternative technological solutions provide viable mitigation for operational use. The consultation responses and independent scientific review are currently being considered and DESNZ will publish a government response reflecting the outcome of both processes soon.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the costs and benefits of upgrading the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array, including through the installation of borehole seismic monitoring equipment.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Monitoring equipment at the Eskdalemuir Seismometer Array is continually reviewed to ensure it meets national requirements and the requirements of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organisation International Monitoring System.

There is currently an ongoing independent review of mitigation proposals for reduction of seismic ground vibration received at the Eskdalemuir seismic array and the effect on the detection capability of the array, commissioned by the Ministry of Defence and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. This includes a review of borehole emplacement and digital signal processing approaches.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the scientific evidence and methodology underpinning restrictions on wind energy development around the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array were last independently reviewed.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The current methodology used to assess the impact of wind turbines on the Array's ability to detect underground seismic events has been developed using specialist scientific advice and remains the basis for safeguarding decisions. The methodology itself was retained as part of the revised safeguarding approach published in March 2026 following public consultation.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of whether the North East of England continues to lag behind other regions of the United Kingdom in the number of defence-related manufacturing and industrial jobs; and what steps his Department is taking to increase defence employment and investment in the region.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The North East is an important part of the UK defence industrial base. The MOD expenditure with industry in the region rose from £187 million in 2024-25 to £198 million in 2025-26, a 6% increase after accounting for inflation.

Of this total amount, £96 million was spent with small and medium-sized enterprises.

We are supporting further investment and jobs through the North East Regional Defence and Security Cluster (RDSC), linking industry, academia and Government. We are also investing in skills in the region, with over £9 million combined invested to Durham, Newcastle and Teesside universities, through the Defence Strategic Priority Grant competition and Durham, Newcastle and Northumbria becoming founding members of the Defence Universities Alliance.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to give police forces routine access to the database holding location data from electronic monitoring tags for use in criminal investigations.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Relevant electronic monitoring information is shared with the police where appropriate. This includes sharing non-compliance information in court-imposed bail cases, where police are the Responsible Agency, and notifying the police of individuals subject to electronic monitoring in the community where monitoring is delivered by EMS.

Responsible Agencies can make an external agency request for information regarding a device wearer to EMS, and this response can be provided within 2 hours and sometimes more quickly, when necessary.

As part of our Acquisitive Crime approach, we also share location data to help the police identify whether wearers were at the scene of a specific acquisitive crime, such as a burglary or vehicle theft, during the minimum window of opportunity to assist with their investigation. Acquisitive Crime will be made available to all remaining forces by the end of this Parliament.

Meanwhile, we are working with the National Police Chiefs Council to explore what further opportunities there might be to improve data sharing.

Cleaning and catering workers on Transpennine Express

Wishes for a full and speedy recovery for Pope Leo XIV