Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that every jobcentre is equipped with the assistive technology disabled claimants need to apply for jobs.
Answered by Chloe Smith
DWP recently completed an upgrade of all Customer Computers across the Jobcentre network which now means that all devices provided for use by customers have the standard accessibility features available such as being able to change the screen size & colour, replacing sounds with screen alerts and using the screen reader to read text.
We currently have over 7,275 devices across our estate, registered with these accessibility features. The numbers of computers available for customers to use in jobcentres will differ depending on the COVID measures in place.
Further support is available to customers where reasonable adjustments are identified and recorded. Each Jobcentre District Office has been provided with the following items for use by customers if requested:
We have opened a number of new sites across the estate to support delivery of face to face public services. As part of this work, Customer Computers are available in these sites. Further work is also underway to provide accessibility hardware to those sites.
In addition to this, we have improved access to our Wi-Fi services in all jobcentres, allowing customers to use their own personal devices if they prefer, to access internet services.
We also constantly review the number of PCs available for customers and have capacity to increase the number of devices quickly, if the need arises.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published July 2021, what recent steps his Department has taken to (a) encourage and support workplace disability networks, (b) achieve and maintain the highest level of Disability Confident accreditation, (c) ensure responsive and timely support to meet workplace adjustment needs and (d) develop and embed flexible working.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
What recent steps their Department has taken on (a) encouraging and supporting workplace disability networks.
The Ministry of Justice has a partnership agreement in place with Staff Networks. This sets out an overarching approach as to how MOJ staff support networks can operate effectively and how MOJ will provide support, advice and guidance.
There are bi-monthly meetings in place between MoJ and staff networks. MoJ disability staff networks are members of our disability governance groups, and we encourage their participation to gain insight and to contribute to departmental work on disability.
What recent steps their Department has taken on (b) achieving and maintaining the highest level of Disability Confident accreditation.
The MoJ has been a Disability Confident (DC) Leader since 2017 and in March 2021 MoJ were successfully reaccredited as a DC Leader. The MoJ supported its Executive Agencies to become DC Leaders in March 2021 and will continue this activity. This recognised our commitment to make the most of the talents of disabled people and work to improve how we attract, recruit, retain and develop people with disabilities.
To maintain this level of DC the MoJ is working with disabled colleagues and allies across the department to build a more inclusive and empowering workplace. This includes the provision of resources (e.g. policy, guidance, information and Staff Networks) and work is overseen by a Disability Action Group, established in 2021.
What recent steps their Department has taken on (c) ensuring responsive and timely support to meet workplace adjustment needs.
The department established a new in-house workplace adjustment service in 2021. The service provides advice and guidance to staff, managers and teams to help staff obtain and implement workplace adjustments in a timely manner.
The department has made improvements to its intranet pages, guidance, and learning products, to build capability to meet workplace adjustment needs. Guidance was updated throughout the pandemic to provide continuity of workplace adjustments services. A new workplace adjustment online learning product has been made available, which enables employees to recognise when adjustments may be helpful and how to implement them.
The MoJ have optimised and increased our dedicated Assistive Technology team to ensure responsive and timely workplace adjustment services are in operation across the organisation.
What recent steps their Department has taken on (d) developing and embedding flexible working.
In MoJ flexible working has been a useful tool to improve employees’ work life balance and wellbeing, whilst helping to attract and retain staff.
HR Policies offer both formal and informal flexibility subject to business need and support flexible working across the department. Flexible working as a workplace adjustment can be key to enabling people with disabilities and carers to continue to work.
The introduction of Smarter Working in 2015 embedded flexibility at the heart of our people offer. It brought people, workspace and technology together to help us be a more open, dynamic and modern organisation. The majority of our staff attended a place of work during the pandemic. We are continuing to embed flexibility as office-based staff return to MoJ buildings: we have issued practical guidance toolkits to support them make the most of hybrid working, taking into account the needs of their role and their individual circumstances.
These arrangements are embedded through toolkits made available to staff, encouraging teams and individuals to discuss the working arrangements that will work for them in balance with business needs.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published July 2021, what recent steps his Department has taken to (a) encourage and support workplace disability networks, (b) achieve and maintain the highest level of Disability Confident accreditation, (c) ensure responsive and timely support to meet workplace adjustment needs and (d) develop and embed flexible working.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Our Defra Group Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy for 2020-24 sets out our vision to be a diverse and inclusive organisation where every individual has equality of opportunity to progress and to apply their unique insights to our vision of making the UK a Great Place for Living. We have identified as a priority area in the strategy the importance of improving outcomes for disabled colleagues.
Defra disability representation in our workforce is in line with the UK working age population figure at 14.2% (December 2021).
Some of our key initiatives are outlined below.
(a) Disability networks
Defra has supported the development of 14 disability-related networks and a carers network available to support Defra employees and line managers (Annex A).
Each of the networks is supported by a Senior Champion, who meet regularly with the executive Disability Champion via a Disability Board. The network leads meet as a Shadow Disability Board to ensure that the voice of disabled employees is heard in the development of policies and practices supporting disabled staff. Defra regularly consults with the network leads in the development of all HR policies.
Defra supports the networks in their comprehensive programme of communications for awareness days as well as workshops, webinars and other events which are promoted via the group intranet.
Defra support networks to share bespoke content across dedicated internal communications channels to maximise colleague reach.
(b) Disability Confident accreditation
Defra achieved Disability Confident Leader (Level 3) accreditation in December 2017. Defra has continued to maintain and improve support for disabled staff such that in June 2021 we successfully renewed this accreditation at Level 3 Leader status.
(c) Workplace adjustments
Defra makes provision for all employees to receive workplace adjustments and information on the process for obtaining these is detailed on the Defra Intranet, with clear links to the process to follow. Throughout the Covid 19 pandemic these processes have been reinforced and adapted to ensure support and provision to colleagues working from home, in line with wider Covid working practice adjustments.
Support is available for line managers through our occupational health provider and workplace solutions provider, ensuring that timely assessment and equipment for workplace adjustments is provided as required.
Arrangements are in place with a dedicated assistive technology team in Digital, Data and Technology Services to manage the timely provision of assistive technology for employees.
Defra in collaboration with the disability networks has developed a ‘Making Defra disability and carer confident’ workshop. This includes information for line managers, on all types of workplace adjustments from changes in working hours/location to physical adjustments such as Assistive technology and furniture.
Defra encourages the use of Workplace Passports for all employees to enable supportive conversations, capturing and recording agreed workplace adjustments, with the passport under regular review to ensure it is representative of the employee’s needs over time.
(d) Flexible working
We have policies and procedures in place to help Defra employees balance their personal and work responsibilities, allowing us to support our people to deliver their best while ensuring business needs are met.
Defra developed and adopted a new flexi-time/working- time tracking approach which incorporates and allows for recording breaks throughout the day.
Defra encourages flexible working and shares information on the Defra Intranet. This ranges from a temporary flexible working hours scheme to considering applications under the formal flexible working policy. All Defra vacancies are advertised by default to specify varied working patterns including full time, part time, flexible working, and job share.
Government guidance to work from home where possible provided opportunities to review Defra ways of working. Defra established a team, Project Horizon, to support working from home (including the provision of specialist equipment where required in line with workplace adjustment arrangements) in the short term and propose new ways of working in the long term, learning from the experiences of employees.
The Project Horizon team consulted with EDI employee networks (including disability networks) to complete the Equality Impact Assessment to ensure that the needs of all employees were met in working from home, returning to workplaces, and in the long term the blended working approach.
To reduce barriers in colleague mobility between workplaces (home and office locations) a desk booking system was adopted including the ability to indicate individual requirements including neurodiverse/ sensory environment needs, therefore ensuring that colleagues with disabilities are able to fully benefit from the blended working approach.
Annex A
Autism Network |
ADHD Network |
Working Through Cancer Network |
Cancer Network |
Chronic Pain Network |
Disability Network (DisNet) |
Dyslexia Plus Network |
Fatigue Network |
Hearing Loss Network |
IBD Network |
Mobilise |
Neuro Diversity Network |
Stammering Network |
Visual Impairment Network |
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy published 28 July 2021, what steps the Disability Unit has taken on considering new ways to make assistive and accessible technology part of the everyday design of public services.
Answered by Chloe Smith
As part of the Government's ambition for the UK to be the most accessible place in the world to live and work with technology, we are exploring how we might drive improvements in public services through a Centre for Assistive and Accessible Technology.
The Disability Unit has been delivering workshops in partnership with Policy Connect to develop options for the Centre, working with disability organisations and charities, the tech sector, government departments and academia.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published on 28 July 2021, what steps his Department has taken to date to challenge UKRI and other research stakeholders to use future innovation challenges to accelerate innovation in assistive technologies.
Answered by George Freeman
The future of any UKRI innovation challenge-funding is subject to an ongoing SR allocations process which BEIS is currently working through to set R&D budgets through to 2024/25.
The work that UK Research and Innovation have undertaken to accelerate innovation in assistive technologies is set out in the National Institute of Health Research’s report on Research and Development Work Relating to Assistive Technology: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-and-development-work-relating-to-assistive-technology-2018-to-2019
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Student Loan Company’s eQuote portal for securing student support services and technology from assistive technology service providers, what timescale is planned for the rollout of the tender procurement process that will replace the current interim eQuote portal.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The e-quote system has been introduced as an interim measure to increase transparency of pricing and provide the department and the Student Loans Company (SLC) with improved access to data and information on the costs and supply of assistive technology. This is particularly important considering the concerns made public by the Competition and Markets Authority last year in relation to allegations of price-fixing of supplies to disabled students.
There are a number of quality measures in place for the equipment and associated services procured through SLC’s e-quote portal. All equipment procured through the e-quote portal must meet the relevant specification set by SLC and the department. The department has also set out its expectations for the standards that assistive technology service providers should meet in a guidance document published here: https://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/exchange-blog/2021/march/02032021-guidance-for-assistive-technology-service-providers-atsps/.
In addition to this, SLC conducts a regular student satisfaction survey to identify any issues that students may experience so that they can be addressed.
On the question of factors other than price, it is an essential criterion that the package of support quoted for meets the student’s needs and the relevant specification. Quotes are sourced only from suppliers who are registered with the department and are therefore required to comply with the standards referenced above. The system selects the most cost-effective solution once these requirements have been met, in line with SLC’s responsibilities for securing value for money for Disabled Students’ Allowance expenditure.
On the question of the timeframe for the procurement, SLC is due to publish a Prior Information Notice on 4 February 2022 which will set out further details.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Student Loan Company’s eQuote portal in (a) securing high quality student support services and technology from assistive technology service providers, (b) evaluating the extent that the quality of services both achieves and exceeds the minimum standards required to be allowed to bid and (c) adequately weighting the incorporation of factors aside from price in terms of the contracts recommended through the portal to customers.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The e-quote system has been introduced as an interim measure to increase transparency of pricing and provide the department and the Student Loans Company (SLC) with improved access to data and information on the costs and supply of assistive technology. This is particularly important considering the concerns made public by the Competition and Markets Authority last year in relation to allegations of price-fixing of supplies to disabled students.
There are a number of quality measures in place for the equipment and associated services procured through SLC’s e-quote portal. All equipment procured through the e-quote portal must meet the relevant specification set by SLC and the department. The department has also set out its expectations for the standards that assistive technology service providers should meet in a guidance document published here: https://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/exchange-blog/2021/march/02032021-guidance-for-assistive-technology-service-providers-atsps/.
In addition to this, SLC conducts a regular student satisfaction survey to identify any issues that students may experience so that they can be addressed.
On the question of factors other than price, it is an essential criterion that the package of support quoted for meets the student’s needs and the relevant specification. Quotes are sourced only from suppliers who are registered with the department and are therefore required to comply with the standards referenced above. The system selects the most cost-effective solution once these requirements have been met, in line with SLC’s responsibilities for securing value for money for Disabled Students’ Allowance expenditure.
On the question of the timeframe for the procurement, SLC is due to publish a Prior Information Notice on 4 February 2022 which will set out further details.
Asked by: Baroness Greengross (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assess the effectiveness of their Official Development Assistance disbursement in meeting the (1) rights, and (2) needs, of older women and men; and whether their new International Development Strategy will include specific recognition of the (a) contributions, (b) rights, and (c) needs, of older women and men.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to protecting the human rights of all people at all stages of their lives. FCDO programmes consider the needs of older people, such as through our health systems strengthening and assistive technology activities alongside smaller more targeted projects, such as on social protection. In line with FCDO's commitment to the Inclusive Data Charter, we aim to disaggregate programme data by age, sex and disability where possible, to help us understand the effectiveness and impact of our work.
The forthcoming International Development Strategy will establish an ambitious vision informed by the new global context, aligned with our strategic development goals and demonstrate how the UK plans to remain a global leader on development. The forthcoming refreshes of the Disability Inclusion Strategy and Strategic Vision for Gender Equality will retain a life cycle approach to deliver transformative change for all.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide training for school staff on work-based assistive technology; and what assessment they have made of how such technology can support disabled students.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The department funded training in assistive technology in financial year 2020-21 via the EdTech Demonstrator Programme. National Star College launched a special education need and disabilities (SEND) Hub, which included training on ways assistive technology could be used by teachers, leaders and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCos) to support all pupils. Materials from these training sessions to support teachers and ensure their practice is inclusive to all learners, can still be accessed through the SEND Hub website and the EdTech Demonstrator website.
The success of this programme is informing our next steps in relation to supporting teachers, leaders and SENCos with assistive technology, including a proposed pilot training programme for school staff for financial year 2021-22.
The department published a rapid literature review on assistive technology in education in July 2020, which found strong evidence of the positive impact of specific types of assistive technology (for example to improve communication) and recommended training for teachers and other staff on the use, assessment and evaluation of assistive technology.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Government's Disability Unit has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the health and wellbeing of disabled or seriously ill children; and what steps that Unit is taking with other Government departments to provide support for disabled or seriously ill children during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published data assessing the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on disabled people.
The 11 March 2021 ONS release can be found on this link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/disability/datasets/coronavirusandthesocialimpactsondisabledpeopleingreatbritainmay2020
Alongside this, insights from qualitative research commissioned by the Cabinet Office Disability Unit and conducted by Policy Lab with disabled people were used to understand the impact of the pandemic on the day-to-day lives of disabled people.
This Government is committed to supporting everyone’s mental health and wellbeing, and to ensuring that the right support is in place. Mental health services have remained open throughout the pandemic, and, for those with severe needs or in crisis, all National Health Service mental health providers have established 24/7 urgent mental health helplines.
We have provided over £10million of additional funding for mental health charities to support adults and children struggling with their mental wellbeing during this time. We have also provided a further £6 million to support various charities, including those working with people with learning disabilities, autistic people and complex needs.
We recognise that the COVID-19 outbreak has hit families of children with disabilities or serious illnesses particularly hard. Supporting vulnerable children is a priority for this Government, and their wellbeing has been central to our response throughout the pandemic. We are, for example, providing £40.8 million for the Family Fund in 2020-21 to support over 80,000 families on low incomes raising children with disabilities or serious illnesses. This includes £13.5m to specifically respond to needs arising from the pandemic, which may include for example assistive technology to aid remote learning.
The Government is committed to supporting disabled people affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Cabinet Office Disability Unit works with disability stakeholders and across Government Departments to ensure that the needs of disabled people are considered in the Government’s response to COVID-19.
The Government remains committed to improving the lives of disabled people, and will publish the National Strategy for Disabled People this year. The strategy will take into account the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on disabled people and will focus on the issues that disabled people say affect them the most in all aspects of life.