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1143685

registered interest
date	02/09/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Department for Work and Pensions: Brexit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what meetings her Department has had with Bristol City Council to discuss preparations for the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	285319
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government has been clear that leaving the EU with a deal is its preferred option. The Government is, however, continuing to plan for a range of scenarios, including a no deal exit from the EU. These contingencies ensure that DWP can continue to provide our vital services and that individuals will continue to be able to access DWP benefits and services on the same basis as they do now.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>MHCLG are the department responsible for EU exit preparedness for Local Authorities.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 09/09/2019 11:14:53 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1140791

registered interest
date	22/07/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Mental Illness
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 May 2019 on Universal Credit: Mental Illness, whether her Department provides support visits for benefit claimants in secure psychiatric settings.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	280236
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2019 answer text <p>The Department is committed to supporting vulnerable claimants, such as those with mental health conditions. We understand that these claimants may face extra challenges in their lives. Universal Credit is designed to target resources at those that need them most and to provide support for people who cannot work or need extra help moving towards the labour market.</p><p>If a claimant is unable to complete their business transaction through any other channel, a referral for a visit is sent to DWP Visiting. The majority of DWP Visiting work takes place in claimants’ homes, however appointments can be arranged at an alternative place such as a hospital or low secure unit.</p><p>We recognise the importance of understanding how a mental health condition impacts someone’s ability to prepare for and look for work. That is why we have developed a range of specialised mental health training for work coaches and increased the number of Disability Employment Advisers who can provide additional support where needed.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Department is committed to the provision of a safe and healthy working environment for employees and claimants, therefore all our visits, irrespective of location, are individually risk assessed which determines the most appropriate means of engagement.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 26/07/2019 10:25:13 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1125876

registered interest
date	10/05/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Property: Sales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of amending legislation on the transfer of ownership of high hazard sites to third parties.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	252851
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015 (COMAH) which require the Competent Authority (which is HSE and the relevant environmental body acting jointly) to be notified in the event of certain changes about a site, including its permanent closure or change of operator name.</p><p> </p><p>HSE has no plans to amend this legislation.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 20/05/2019 10:59:42 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1125879

registered interest
date	10/05/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2018 to Question 193494 on Employment: Autism, if she will make it her policy to disaggregate data on Access to Work statistics to identify the number people with Autism Spectrum Disorders in those data sets.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	252852
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2019 answer text <p>We do not currently have plans to make adjustments to the primary medical condition categories used in Access to Work. The categories we use are consistent with the categories used in the Labour Force Survey. This is so we can compare our data to the disability employment rate.</p><p> </p><p>As explained in the Answer of 27 November 2018 to Question 193494, when a person with Autism Spectrum Disorders receives support through Access to Work, it will be for a specific issue or condition – e.g. a Mental health condition, difficulty in speaking, etc. – rather than Autism Spectrum Disorder. Access to Work customers may have more than one disability or condition, and it is the condition for which they are receiving support that is recorded on the Access to Work system as their primary health condition.</p><p> </p><p>The Access to Work statistics have been developed using guidelines set out by the UK Statistics Authority, but are still undergoing development and are therefore designated as experimental statistics. We are exploring the scope for potential modification following user feedback about the usefulness of the data.</p><p> </p><p>Users are invited to comment on the development and relevance of these statistics and can send feedback to: <a href="mailto:access.toworkstatistics@dwp.gsi.gov.uk" target="_blank">access.toworkstatistics@dwp.gsi.gov.uk</a></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 17/05/2019 15:14:33 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1125880

registered interest
date	10/05/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2018 to Question 193498 on Employment: Autism, over what time period was the Neurodiversity Toolkit was developed; what processes were used to develop that toolkit; and what assessment she has made of the effect of that toolkit on closing the autism employment gap.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	252853
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2019 answer text <p>In 2016, DWP contracted Autism Alliance UK to assemble an Autism Task Group to develop a new Autism and Neurodiversity Toolkit. Membership of the group comprised people with Neuro-diverse conditions, medical professionals/academics and a number of organisations, including: the National Autistic Society, Autism Alliance UK, Autism Plus and Dyscovery Centre.</p><p> </p><p>Within three months, the toolkit was ready to be quality assured by the Hidden Impairments National Group. The toolkit was launched by Philip Rutnam (Civil Service Disability Champion) during Autism Awareness Week, in April 2017.</p><p> </p><p>The toolkit is available to all Civil Servants; helping them to better understand how to support people with Autism or Neuro-diverse conditions. It is hosted on Autism Alliance UK’s website, and is updated regularly by them with professional help and guidance.</p><p> </p><p>As was explained in the Answer of 27 November 2018 to Question 193495 on Employment: Autism, no formal assessment has been made on the impact of the Toolkit on the autism employment gap.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 17/05/2019 15:06:27 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1125881

registered interest
date	10/05/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she make it her policy to provide autism awareness training for staff in (a) her Department and (b) Jobcentres.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	252854
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>DWP has a Diversity and Equality Policy Statement. Every person working for the Department has a personal responsibility for implementing and promoting these commitments in their day-to-day dealings with customers, with each other and with employers and partners. Inappropriate behaviour is not acceptable.</p><p> </p><p>DWP have developed Autism Awareness training for all DWP operational staff, using information from the National Autistic Society. This training explains what Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are and how they may impact on a claimants’ daily life, including how this impacts individuals differently. This helps DWP staff be aware of how they can offer appropriate support. The training also focuses on what support DWP can provide to help customers with ASD secure employment, highlighting the tailored support available and focusing on what positive strengths customers with ASD can offer a prospective employer.</p><p> </p><p>Within the Fundamental Learning Journey for all DWP Operational roles, we have learning for Supporting Vulnerable Adults (hosted by Civil Service Learning), Safeguarding children and for Adults and Equality and Diversity.</p><p> </p><p>There is DWP technical learning specifically for staff who need to look at medical evidence for particular medical conditions as part of their job role. This covers the likely care needs for more common medical conditions and signposts to more detailed guidance.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 20/05/2019 16:41:15 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1125234

registered interest
date	08/05/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit: Mental Illness
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what provision her Department makes for universal credit claimants who are held on restriction under the Mental Health Act 1983.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	252000
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2019 answer text <p>Entitlement to Universal Credit (UC) takes into account individual claimant circumstances, such as income, savings, assets and living arrangements. Should a claimant be held under the Mental Health Act 1983 they may not be eligible for UC.</p><p> </p><p>All claimants, including those who with mental health conditions, receive continuous tailored support through their personal work coaches, and all Departmental staff working with claimants complete extensive training that prepares them for their role. Specific training is provided for working with different vulnerable groups, with guidance to signpost claimants to relevant support, and these circumstances will be recorded on a claimant’s online account.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 17/05/2019 12:18:34 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1109330

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to assess the effectiveness of the local supported proof of concept initiative in closing the autism employment gap.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	240582
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2019 answer text <p>Proofs of Concept are not designed to provide evidence of impacts on national employment trends. Rather, they allow us to test whether a policy idea is deliverable.</p><p> </p><p>The Local Supported Employment Proof of Concept is a relatively small scale programme exploring how combining central and local budgets enables Local Authorities to scale up delivery of Supported Employment. The initiative is designed to support people with a learning disability or autism who are known to adult social care, or who are in contact with secondary mental health services. By working with local authorities, there may be an opportunity for DWP to drive a much stronger focus on job outcomes and on evidence-based commissioning using the Supported Employment model.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently considering our next steps to build on this Proof of Concept.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 12/04/2019 13:15:36 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1109331

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to tackle the underemployment of people diagnosed with autism.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	240583
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2019 answer text <p>DWP is committed to helping people with health conditions and disabilities, including autism move nearer to the labour market and, when ready, into work, by building more personalised tailored employment and health support.</p><p> </p><p>The majority of DWP’s schemes and programmes are focused on helping people, including people diagnosed with autism, prepare for and enter work. For example:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The Work and Health Programme, which rolled out between November 2017 and March 2018, will support around 275,000 people over five years - the majority whom (around 220,000) will be disabled people who can volunteer for the programme at any time.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The new Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme, which is due to be rolled out across England and Wales at the end of 2019, will provide highly personalised packages of employment support for people with both disabilities and complex barriers to employment who are considered by DWP work coaches to be more than 12 months from the labour market without intensive support</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The Local Supported Employment proof of concept is currently exploring how we can combine central and local budgets to scale up delivery of Supported Employment locally. This initiative is designed to explore how a matched funding model could support people with a learning disability or autism who are known to adult social care, or who are in contact with secondary mental health services.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Disabled people who are already working, or who are about to enter work, can apply for in-work support from Access to Work scheme. The scheme has a Hidden Impairment Support Team that provides advice and guidance to help employers support employees with conditions like autism, as well as offering eligible people an assessment to find out their needs at work and help to develop a support plan.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, DWP is engaging with employers through the Disability Confident scheme - supporting them to feel more confident about both employing disabled people, including autistic people, and supporting disabled employees to realise their potential. Over 11,500 employers have signed up to the scheme so far.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 12/04/2019 13:23:38 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1109332

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Employment: Autism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to collect and publish data on the employment status of adults diagnosed with autism.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	240584
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>Department for Work and Pensions officials are considering how to robustly measure the employment rate among autistic people, including whether it might be possible to collect this information through the Labour Force Survey.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 10/04/2019 09:56:11 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire