Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to mark the UN's World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March; and what steps they are taking to ensure that people with Down syndrome have equal opportunities in all aspects of society.

The UK Government marked this year's World Down Syndrome Day by co-sponsoring and participating in a key side event called "Leave no one behind" at the 21^st Session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Geneva. The event's theme was “Ensuring all persons with Down Syndrome can access meaningful employment and an adequate standard of living on a full and equal basis with others.”

The Government is fully committed to its vision - to create a society that works for everyone, where all can participate fully and be included. Therefore, Government Departments have invested in a range of programmes and initiatives to ensure that disabled people including persons with Down Syndrome are not left behind in all aspects of society such as in employment, education, health, housing, transport and sport.