Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the steps taken to deliver the commitment contained in the National Disability Strategy, published on 28 July 2021, to see "more disabled people becoming elected representatives".

In January 2022, the High Court declared that the National Disability Strategy was unlawful because the UK Disability Survey, which informed it, was held to be a voluntary consultation that failed to comply with the legal requirements on public consultations.

We are disappointed by, and strongly disagree with, the High Court’s finding, and the Secretary of State has been granted permission to appeal the Court's declaration. In order to ensure compliance with the Court’s declaration, we are obliged to pause a limited number of policies which are referred to in the Strategy or are directly connected with it.

The policy ‘Cabinet Office will consider how we can best support those standing for public office and those who hold public office’ was one of the policies we were obliged to pause.