Oral Answers to Questions

Mike Wood Excerpts

Tuesday 15th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Steve Brine]

The hon. Gentleman will know that the draft withdrawal agreement hopefully sets us on a relationship with the EMA, but the UK’s strategy for rare diseases, which was published in 2013, sets out our commitment to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with rare diseases and to end the diagnostic odyssey that has been referred to throughout the past few years.

[Mike Wood (Dudley South) (Con)]

14. What steps he is taking to increase support for people with autism and learning disabilities.

[Alex Burghart (Brentwood and Ongar) (Con)]

24. What steps he is taking to increase support for people with autism and learning disabilities.

[The Minister for Care (Caroline Dinenage)]

Autism and learning disabilities are clinical priorities in the NHS long-term plan. We are committed to improving the quality of care provided to people with a learning disability or autism and to addressing the persistent health inequalities they face.

[Mike Wood]

I thank the Minister for her response. The commitment to reducing diagnosis waiting times for children and young people is welcome, but what are the Government doing in this 10th anniversary year of the Autism Act 2009 to tackle diagnosis waiting times for all people?

[Caroline Dinenage]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on his active involvement in the all-party parliamentary groups on learning disability and on autism. Over the next three years, we will be testing and implementing the most effective ways to reduce waiting times for specialist services. We are developing guidance to support commissioners to develop the necessary services to support all autistic people, and we have launched a review of our autism strategy.