Oral Answers to Questions

Virginia Crosbie Excerpts

Monday 18th December 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Rob Roberts. He is otherwise engaged. I call Virginia Crosbie.

[Virginia Crosbie (Ynys Môn) (Con)]

21. What steps his Department is taking to encourage people who are economically inactive owing to long-term sickness and disability to return to work.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mims Davies)]

The Government have a range of initiatives to help disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay in and succeed in work. We built on that in the autumn statement by expanding universal support, launching WorkWell pilots, reforming the fit note and establishing an expert group on occupational health.

[Virginia Crosbie]

Does the Minister agree that the Disability Confident jobs fair that I am hosting in Holyhead with my brilliant Anglesey DWP team is an opportunity for excellent local businesses such as Hafan y Môr and Llechwedd Meats, and organisations such as Môn Communities Forward and the Menter Môn enterprise hub, to help people with disabilities back into work, and will she lobby the Secretary of State to visit Ynys Môn in February to open the disability jobs fair?

[Mims Davies]

I do not want to commit the Secretary of State, but I have a feeling that he will be in Ynys Môn in February. I thank my hon. Friend for the huge amount of work that she does in respect of local jobcentres, and for her work with those employers. I met her just last week to discuss her focus on young people. Her Local Jobs for Local People campaign is a great example of her tireless work for the future of the community in Ynys Môn—so, iechyd da!