Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to implement the commitments in Fuller Working Lives - a framework for action, published by his Department in June 2014.

Since June 2014 this Government has:

- Appointed Dr Ros Altmann CBE as the Business Champion for Older Workers to actively promote the business case and benefits of employing older workers, seeking to engage and influence both strategically and in terms of practical advice. Dr Altmann has engaged with over 80 organisations and attended numerous events and speaking engagements. Ministers have attended three meetings of Dr Altmann’s working group and have also met with her to discuss her emerging findings. She will shortly be making her recommendations to the Government.

- Announced new pilots that will be based on our current sector based work academies and Work Experience programmes, but tailored to the needs of older claimants.

- Extended the right to request flexible working, which can help older workers to stay in the labour market.

- Launched the advice element of Fit for Work, which helps with sickness absence and provides an occupational health assessment and health and work advice to employees, employers and GPs.

- Completed the first stage of the Inclusive Technology Prize to inspire innovation from individuals and small businesses to develop assistive living technology.

- Funded ‘Carers in Employment’ pilots in nine Local Authorities.

- Launched a small scale pilot in Gloucestershire, designed to support Carers Allowance claimants whose engagement with Jobcentre Plus is optional.

- Started working with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). In September 2014 (partnering with Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP) we held a national conference on economic growth, focussing on retaining and recruiting older workers.

- Announced two trials that will explore what may provide effective support for older claimants looking at career reviews and IT and digital support.

- Announced the introduction of regional ‘Champions’ in Jobcentre Plus. These Jobcentre Plus staff will work with both Work Coaches and local employers to raise the profile of and highlight the benefits of employing older claimants.

- Carried out polling research to explore the attitudes of the over 50s, and employer attitudes to Fuller Working Lives to help shape policy and messaging. This also allowed us to further understand the perceived benefits and barriers to later life working. More information on attitudes-of-over-50s can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/attitudes-of-the-over-50s-to-fuller-working-lives.

In Spring 2015 we will publish a new older workers employer toolkit, and NIACE’s final report on Mid-Life career review will be completed which will make number of recommendations based on the research findings.