Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of the disability employment gap; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce that gap.

The Government is committed to reducing the disability employment gap to ensure disabled people are supported to get into, stay in and get on in work. Official statistics, published quarterly by the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS) and annually by DWP, allow the Government to monitor progress in narrowing the gap.

The Department has a range of specialist initiatives to support disabled people to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Connect to Work and WorkWell.