Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress he has made in implementing the recommendations of (a) the review to Government by Liz Sayce titled Getting in, staying in and getting on, published in June 2011 and (b) the expert panel chaired by Mike Adams in 2013 on Access to Work.

The Government confirmed in March 2012 that it accepted the overall recommendation in the Sayce Review to focus resources on tailored personalised support for individuals through services like Access to Work, rather than “one size fits all” institutions and programmes, so that we could significantly increase the number of disabled people who could be supported to access the labour market.

The Written Ministerial Statement on Access to Work published on 12 March 2015 sets out proposals to address two key recommendations of the Sayce Review with respect to developing online functionality and personal budgets.

The Sayce recommendations on Remploy have been implemented.

Esther McVey MP issued two Written Statements on 19 November 2012 and 16 July 2013 setting out changes arising from the work of the expert panel chaired by Mike Adams. I can confirm that all the changes announced in those statements have been implemented so that individuals have the facility to:

· have a fast-track assessment process for individuals who already know their support requirements;

· transfer equipment between employers;

· have a pre-existing disabled students allowance assessment considered in determining support;

· have accesses to travel buddies, travel training, or adaptations to a vehicle to promote independent travel and have this reflected in award letters agreeing travel support;

· receive support via New Enterprise Allowance;

· receive up-front payments where customers need this in some circumstances;

· have some tolerances built into their awards.

We also:

· removed a standard list of equipment that Access to Work would not fund;

· removed cost share for small business;

· provided funding for Disabled People’s user led organisations to promote the service and provide peer support;

· ran a targeted marketing campaign; and

· extended support to traineeships, sector-based work academies, supported internships and self-directed work experience.