Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has lifted the deferral imposed in January 2014 of reassessments for employment and support allowance claimants following the appointment of a new work capability assessment provider.

The Department has temporarily deferred routine repeat assessments for those already in the Work-Related Activity Group or the Support Group of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), in order to focus on new claims.

Assessments are continuing for new ESA claimants and all those already referred to Atos. Repeat assessments will also continue for people who report a change in their circumstances.

The Department has agreed a contract with a new provider, Maximus, to deliver the new assessment service from March 2015. We are working with Maximus to increase the number of assessments and resume repeat assessments once they have the capacity to do so.