Oral Answers to Questions

Tommy Sheppard Excerpts

Monday 7th December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Justin Tomlinson]

I should be delighted to accept that kind invitation. Our reforms of the support that is given to people with disabilities who want to work will give local organisations great opportunities. On Friday I visited Foxes Academy, which has a success rate of more than 50% in providing work for people with learning disabilities; that contrasts with the national average of 6%. Local flexibility is vital.

[Tommy Sheppard (Edinburgh East) (SNP)]

21. When his Department next plans to publish information on people who have died after undergoing work capability assessments.

[The Minister for Employment (Priti Patel)]

There are no plans to publish such information.

[Tommy Sheppard]

That is a source of great regret. A recent study by Liverpool and Oxford Universities concluded that 590 suicides were linked to work capability assessments. When will the Department stop hiding behind excuses and publish the information that we seek, so that we can examine the effect of the claimant system on suicide rates?