Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to consult with organisations that advocate for deaf and disabled people on employment support reforms; and what recent discussions she has had with those organisations on supporting deaf and disabled people in the workplace.

This Government is committed to championing the rights of disabled people and to working with disabled people to design our reforms.

The Get Britain Working White Paper announced that DWP will establish a panel to consult disabled people as part of our wider efforts to ensure that the views and voices of disabled people are at the heart of the design and delivery of the reforms set out in the White Paper. We will expand our engagement with Deaf and Disabled people's organisations and disabled people, and work collaboratively to ensure their voices are heard.

The Minister for Social Security and Disability regularly meets with disabled people and Disabled People’s Organisations, including through the Disability Unit’s Regional Stakeholder Network and the Disabled People’s Organisation Forum England.