Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what response he has given to the recommendation of the Welfare Reform Committee of the Scottish Parliament that (a) those living with long-term progressive conditions should not be subject to reassessments and (b) changes should be made to the work capability assessment criteria to better recognise the impact of hidden symptoms and fluctuating conditions including multiple sclerosis.

As Minister of State with the responsibility for this policy area I responded to the letter dated 21 March 2014 from the Welfare Reform Committee of the Scottish Parliament on 26 April. In this letter I:

a) responded by explaining the importance of claimants having contact with the Department; the need to move away from the old style Incapacity Benefit; and that Employment and Support Allowance claimants, including those claimants with progressive illnesses, will be placed in the Support Group if they meet the criteria.

b) responded that through the Evidence Based Review of the Work Capability Assessment the current descriptors were tested against an alternative assessment and what the findings indicated