Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with stakeholders on merging personal independence payments into universal credit.

The Health and Disability Green Paper aimed to explore ways to improve the design of the benefits system and posed illustrative ideas, such as a single benefit covering both PIP and UC, to generate discussion.

During the consultation period we held more than 40 events with stakeholders to hear their views on the proposals in the Green Paper, including on options for simplifying the benefits system.

Although the formal consultation period has now ended, we will continue to engage stakeholders regularly, particularly on the broader aspects of the paper that focus on future reform.