Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the medical records of claimants will be made available automatically to her Department as part of the new digital system for social security assessments.

Medical records of claimants are not automatically available to my Department. We use explicit and informed patient consent to access patient information from the NHS to support applications for health related benefits. The new digital platform will streamline this process to the benefit of claimants.