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 support people with learning difficulties who are seeking paid employment in Aldershot constituency.

We believe learning disabled and neurodiverse people should have an equal opportunity to work. In our plan to make work pay, we committed to raising awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace.

In Aldershot, we have a dedicated Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) who supports learning disabled and neurodiverse customers alongside partner organisations that we work closely with.

Other specialist initiatives which can provide support include the Work and Health Programme and joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care.

We are also exploring how we will build upon the recommendations outlined in the Buckland Review of Autism Employment to be more inclusive to support all neurodiverse people to enter, remain in or return to employment.