Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by how much the disability employment gap has been reduced since 7 May 2015.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK employment rates for disabled and non-disabled people are monitored quarterly based on the Labour Force Survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics. The latest available figures can be found here:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/november-2015/table-a08.xls
Only year on year comparisons can be made because the data are not seasonally adjusted. Therefore, the change in the UK disability employment gap since 7 May 2015 is not yet available.
Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to which countries of the UK his Department's target to halve the disability employment gap during the current Parliament applies.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Employment is a reserved matter. Progress towards halving the disability employment gap is a key part of our aim to achieve full employment across the whole of the UK. This is consistent with the Government’s manifesto commitment which said ‘as part of our objective to achieve full employment, we will aim to halve the disability employment gap’.
Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the effect of benefit sanctions on levels of poverty.
Answered by Priti Patel
The current employment rate of 73.6% is a record high.
Work is the best route out of poverty, and the system of conditionality that underpins the welfare system is the most effective way to support jobseekers into work.