Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what provision he has made in his Department's industrial strategy for disabled people.

The industrial strategy green paper, Building our Industrial Strategy, is part of a consultative approach to developing our strategy and seeks views from organisations across the country, including disability organisations. I look forward to further engagement with them, building on engagement with my officials to date.

The Government is clear that the industrial strategy is part of our work to deliver an economy that works for everyone, including disabled people. In particular, the Government’s green paper Improving Lives – the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper considers how we can improve employment outcomes for disabled people. Many employers are already creating healthy, inclusive workplaces, but more needs to be done so that employers provide the support needed for employees with disabilities and long-term health conditions, to help them get into and stay in work.

The Improving Lives consultation closes on 17th February, and we will be working to ensure its outcomes are aligned with our industrial strategy.