Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his Department's report, Think Autism, published in April 2014, what discussions his Department has had with other departments on feedback on the type of apprenticeships offered to people with autism.

Information on sharing population data across local agencies for the purpose of planning autism services across local authorities and the National Health Service was set out in Think Autism, the April 2014 update to the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy, and is in the draft statutory guidance to implement it. The statutory guidance was out for consultation from 7 November until 19 December. The Department also funded the National Autistic Society to look at data issues and wider discussions are planned. Officials have also discussed the issue of apprenticeships for people with autism with the Departments for Work and Pensions and Business, Innovation & Skills and these discussions will continue. A number of the recently announced Autism Innovation Fund projects focus on employment and apprenticeships and their outcomes will also help work in this area. A summary of progress achieved across all actions in Think Autism will be published in August 2015.