Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) 20-metre and (b) 50 per cent rules for assessing the eligibility of people with multiple sclerosis for personal independence payments.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is intended to act as a contribution towards the extra costs that arise from needs related to a long-term health condition or disability. Entitlement is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from the health condition or disability, rather than a diagnosis of the health condition or disability itself.
The enhanced rate of the Personal Independence Payment mobility component was always intended to be for those "unable" or "virtually unable" to walk. The 20-metre distance was introduced to identify those whose mobility is significantly more limited than that of other people. Individuals who can walk more than 20 metres can still receive the enhanced rate of the mobility component, if they cannot do so safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly or in a reasonable time period. We believe the current assessment criteria, including the 20-metre rule, are the best way of identifying people whose physical mobility is most limited and there are no immediate plans to make changes.
The PIP assessment should reflect the impact of variations in an individual's level of impairment, including conditions which fluctuate, and whether the individual can complete each activity safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time period. When choosing the descriptor, the health professional should also consider an individual’s ability over a 12-month period, ensuring that fluctuations are taken into account. For each activity, if a descriptor applies on more than 50 per cent of the days in the 12-month period, that descriptor should be chosen. In general, health professionals should record function over an average year for conditions that fluctuate over months, per week for conditions that fluctuate by the day, and by the day for conditions that vary over a day.
The department closely monitors all aspects of the assessment process, including how we assess fluctuating health conditions like multiple sclerosis. There are no current plans to make changes to the 50 per cent rule.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of (a) qualified neurologists and (b) multiple sclerosis nurses in England.
Answered by Will Quince
As of October 2022, there are 1,672 full-time equivalent neurologists working in the National Health Service. This is an increase of 559 (50.3%) from 10 years ago (October 2012).
The Government has created nearly 900 additional medical specialty training posts this year, including five additional training posts for neurology.
The Government has funded 1,500 (25%) more medical school places each year for domestic students in England, a 25% increase over three years. This expansion, which was completed in 2020, will increase the supply pipeline in coming years for qualified doctors, including neurologists.
The Government is on track to deliver 50,000 more nurses across hospital and general practice settings overall by 2024. Since September 2020, all eligible nursing, midwifery and allied health profession degree students have received a non-repayable training grant of a minimum of £5,000 per academic year. This will increase the pool of nurses who may go on to become specialists in multiple sclerosis.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the process of applying for Personal Independence Payments for people with multiple sclerosis.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
No such assessment has been made; however, the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) application process is kept under continual review to ensure all claimants can access the service.
As a result, we have introduced a number of measures, which include: Relay UK, which provides a service if a claimant cannot hear or speak on the telephone, as well as dial-in for third parties on phone calls. We have also reworded the PIP2 questionnaire to improve clarity and introduced a digital PIP2 and evidence upload function, making it possible to claim for PIP without leaving the home. We have also expanded the assessment methods to include telephone and video, while introducing recording by request for telephone and face-to-face appointments.
Claimants are also kept informed and updated at each stage of the process, through our improved text message service.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of MS nurses in England.
Answered by Will Quince
Individual National Health Service employers are responsible for planning local staffing levels in line with service priorities, including the number of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) nurses.
Whilst there are no specific targets for increasing numbers of MS nurses at a national level, the Government is on track to recruit 50,000 more nurses across hospital and general practice settings overall by 2024.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the number of people with Multiple Sclerosis who are economically inactive.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The specific information requested is not available.
The Prime Minister has tasked the DWP’s Secretary of State to look in detail at the issue of workforce participation. This involves working with other Government departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care, to identify and understand the barriers preventing people from joining the workforce and/or resulting in people leaving the workforce early.
Disabled people and people with health conditions are a key focus of this work, which will build on the Government’s existing package of support to help disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work.
Background
Headline estimates on employment, unemployment and economic inactivity are produced using the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which provides internationally recognised information on the UK labour market. The LFS also asks respondents about any long-term (lasting or expected to last 12 months or more) physical or mental health condition they may have with 18 different conditions, or groups of conditions, to select from. Multiple Sclerosis would normally be recorded under the category Progressive Illnesses (not included elsewhere), which also includes conditions such as Cancer, symptomatic HIV, Parkinson’s Disease and Muscular Dystrophy. A breakdown for the individual conditions within this category is not available from the LFS.
In 2021/2022, the number of economically inactive people who reported having a Progressive Illness was 410,000 (or 5% of the total number of people who were economically inactive).
Source: The employment of disabled people 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the number of people with Multiple Sclerosis who are in the Employment and Support Allowance (a) Support Group and (b) Work-Related Activity Group.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
In May 2022, there were around 21,800 people on ESA whose main condition was multiple sclerosis. Of these, around 400 were in the Work-Related Activity Group and around 20,000 were in the Support Group, with the remainder being in the assessment phase or receiving National Insurance credits only, and not assigned to a particular group.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with Multiple Sclerosis are in receipt of (a) income-related Employment and Support Allowance and (b) new-style contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
In May 2022, there were around 21,800 people on ESA whose main condition was multiple sclerosis. Of these, around 4,000 were in receipt of Income-Related ESA and around 12,000 were in receipt of Contributory (New-Style) ESA, with a further 4,300 in receipt of both Income-Related and Contributory ESA. There were also around 1,500 who were only receiving National Insurance Credits.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he made of the potential merits of including multiple sclerosis within the Major Conditions Strategy.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cancers, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, dementia, mental ill health and musculoskeletal conditions are the six conditions that contribute the most to mortality and morbidity.
Focusing on the conditions that contribute most to mortality and morbidity will allow us to focus our efforts on the key actions needed to achieve our manifesto commitment of gaining five extra years of Healthy Life Expectancy by 2035. The insights we generate through the strategy will have applications beyond those conditions which are expressly included in the scope.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people with Multiple Sclerosis have obtained a Disabled Person’s Railcard.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Railcards are administered by the Rail Delivery Group. Details of an individual's qualifying disability or progressive medical condition are not recorded centrally for Disabled Persons Railcard holders or applicants. Therefore, information on how many people with Multiple Sclerosis applied for, or obtained, a Disabled Person’s Railcard, or any information as to the proportion of applicants who have Multiple Sclerosis, is not available.
With regards to promoting the availability of the Disabled Persons Railcard, as per our Inclusive transport strategy commitment, the Department alongside the Rail Delivery Group and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee is currently undertaking a review of the Disabled Persons Railcard. The review is considering the eligibility criteria and also the options to verify entitlement. We expect to complete this review in the first part of 2023.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people living with Multiple Sclerosis have obtained a Disabled Person’s Railcard in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Railcards are administered by the Rail Delivery Group. Details of an individual's qualifying disability or progressive medical condition are not recorded centrally for Disabled Persons Railcard holders or applicants. Therefore, information on how many people with Multiple Sclerosis applied for, or obtained, a Disabled Person’s Railcard, or any information as to the proportion of applicants who have Multiple Sclerosis, is not available.
With regards to promoting the availability of the Disabled Persons Railcard, as per our Inclusive transport strategy commitment, the Department alongside the Rail Delivery Group and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee is currently undertaking a review of the Disabled Persons Railcard. The review is considering the eligibility criteria and also the options to verify entitlement. We expect to complete this review in the first part of 2023.