Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to hold a consultation exercise on social care provision for adults of working age, with a particular focus on those with learning disabilities; and if so, what are the details of the work streams and timetable.

The Government recognises the challenges faced by people of working age with care needs. We are committed to ensuring that people with disabilities and complex conditions can live healthy, independent lives, and participate fully in society.

The Government has committed to publishing a Green Paper, by summer 2018, setting out proposals for reform of adult social care. This Green Paper will focus on care for older people, but many of the issues and questions about the sustainability of the care system will be relevant to adults of all ages. Once the Green Paper is published, it will be subject to a full public consultation.

To ensure that issues specific to working-age adults with care needs are considered in their own right, the Government will take forward a parallel programme of work which is being led jointly by the Department of Health and the Department for Communities and Local Government, which will focus on this group. This work will also be overseen by the Inter-Ministerial Group to ensure alignment with the Green Paper.

As part of our initial engagement, a round table meeting with key stakeholders on issues facing working age adults with care needs is expected to take place in the new year. It would be jointly chaired by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care and Mental Health (Jackie Doyle-Price) and the Minister for Local Government (Marcus Jones).