Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Labour Market Statistics, table BEN01, published in December 2014, what assessment he has made of the reasons why the number of claimants of employment and support allowance and other incapacity benefits was higher in May 2014 than in May 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Since May 2010, the ESA caseload has fallen by 5.5% or 143,000 claimants. The small increase of less than 1% from May 13 to May 14 was largely driven by WCA supplier capacity issues, which we have taken steps to address by removing and replacing the supplier appointed by the previous government.