Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress the Work and Health Unit has made in assessing the extent of possible barriers to employment for people with (a) myalgic encephalomyelitis and (b) other chronic fluctuating conditions.

The Government wants all disabled people and people with a long term health condition to have the opportunity to work and share in the economic and health benefits that work brings, including people with myalgic encephalomyelitis and other chronic fluctuating conditions. That is why we published ‘Improving Lives the Work: Health and Disability Green Paper’ to set out the action we plan to take to achieve this and start a far-reaching, national debate on what more we can do to ensure everyone is supported to reach their full potential.

We held a public consultation on the Green Paper between 31 October and 17 February 2017. We are now considering over 4,000 consultation responses and the next steps for reform.

Government support to employers to help them recruit and retain disabled people and people with health conditions includes the Disability Confident campaign, the Access to Work scheme and the Fit for Work service. Following the Green Paper, we are now considering what more should be done.