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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

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

1087040

registered interest
date	12/03/2019
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 made an assessment of trends in the level of (a) bullying and (b) harassment of people with autism in the workplace.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	231511
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>We currently have no plans to assess trends in bullying and harassment in the workplace of people with autism.</p><p> </p><p>However, we are committed to supporting people with disabilities or health conditions, including those with autism, to manage issues they may face in employment by offering both them and their employers appropriate support. For example:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Access to Work has put in place a Hidden Impairment Specialist Team (HIST) that aims to offer advice and guidance to help employers support employees with conditions such as autism, Learning Disability and/or Mental Health conditions. HIST also offers eligible people an assessment to find out their needs at work and help to develop a support plan.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Through the Disability Confident scheme, DWP is engaging with employers and helping to promote the skills, talents and abilities of disabled people, including those with autism and associated conditions. Disability Confident offers advice and support to help employers feel more confident about employing disabled people.</li></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 19/03/2019 14:56:16 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1010561

registered interest
date	20/11/2018
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 assessment she has made of the effect on the autism employment gap of the Access to Work scheme.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	193494
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2018 answer text <p>We have made no assessment of the effect of Access to Work on the employment rate of people with autism.</p><p> </p><p>Data on people with Autism Spectrum Disorders is not routinely disaggregated within Access to Work statistics. The primary medical condition categories used in Access to Work 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>When a person with autism applies to Access to Work for support, it will be for particular conditions, such as difficulty in speaking, learning difficulties, etc., rather than ‘autism’.</p><p> </p><p>This will be recorded as the individual’s primary medical condition in the Access to Work database, even if it’s linked to their autism</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work has a specialist Hidden Impairments team who receive upskilling and awareness from organisations who have expertise of autism to ensure that advisors have a broad understanding of the barriers individuals with autism face.</p><p> </p><p>The official statistics published on 30th October 2018 provide the latest information on the Access to Work scheme, including breakdowns by customer characteristics such as primary medical condition. They may be accessed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-to-work-statistics-april-2007-to-march-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-to-work-statistics-april-2007-to-march-2018</a></p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 27/11/2018 10:16:02 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1010562

registered interest
date	20/11/2018
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 assessment has she made of the effect on the autism employment gap of the Disability Confident Autism and Neurodiversity Toolkit.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	193495
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2018 answer text <p>We have not made any assessment of the effect the Disability Confident Autism and Neurodiversity Toolkit has had on the autism employment gap.</p><p> </p><p>The toolkit was developed with support from disabled people with neuro-diverse conditions, medical professionals and disability organisations such as Autism Alliance UK and Autism Plus. It is designed to help to raise awareness and understanding, within DWP and across the wider Civil Service, about Autism Spectrum Disorders and neuro-diverse conditions.</p><p> </p><p>Disability Confident promotes the many benefits of employing disabled people including individuals with autism and neuro-diverse conditions. The scheme provides free information, advice and guidance for employers.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 27/11/2018 17:34:05 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1010563

registered interest
date	20/11/2018
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 assessment she has made of the effect of the Disability Confident scheme on the gap between the number of people in employment (a) with autism and (b) in the general population.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	193496
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2018 answer text <p>We have not made any assessment of Disability Confident on the autism employment gap.</p><p> </p><p>Disability Confident promotes to employers the many benefits of employing disabled people, including individuals with Autism and Neuro-diverse conditions. The scheme provides free information, advice and guidance to help them to do this. Over 10,000 businesses have signed up to the disability Confident scheme since it was launched in November 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The Disability Confident Autism and Neurodiversity Toolkit was developed with support from disabled people with neuro-diverse conditions, medical professionals and disability organisations such as Autism Alliance UK and Autism Plus. It is designed to help to raise awareness and understanding, within DWP and across the wider Civil Service, about Autism Spectrum Disorders and neuro-diverse conditions.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 28/11/2018 16:12:20 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1010564

registered interest
date	20/11/2018
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 steps she is taking to increase the rate of retention in employment of people with autism.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	193497
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is strongly committed to increasing employment opportunities for disabled people, including those with autism, and improving employment retention rates. We are working across Government and with local authorities, voluntary organisations and employers in the public and private sectors to achieve this. Help and support for people with autism includes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Disability Confident scheme, through which DWP is engaging with employers and helping to promote the skills, talents and abilities of people with autism and associated hidden impairment conditions. Disability Confident offers advice and support, to help employers feel more confident about employing disabled people. Over 10,000 businesses have signed up to the disability Confident scheme since it was launched in November 2016</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Access to Work, which has a Hidden Impairment Specialist Team that gives advice and guidance to help employers support employees with conditions such as Autism, Learning Disability and/or Mental Health conditions. It also offers eligible people an assessment to find out their needs at work and help to develop a support plan. <br></li><li>The Disability Passport ‘About Me’ which aims to encourage disabled claimants, including individuals with autism, to disclose their disability/ health conditions at the earliest stage to their Adviser, to improve communication and ensure reasonable adjustments are put in place. The passport is hosted on Autism Alliance’s website.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The Civil Service has committed to support the Autism Exchange Programme, and my Department is working with Ambitious about Autism to provide work placement opportunities for young people.</p><p> </p><p>The number of working age disabled people in employment in the UK reached around 3.9 million in Q3 2018. This was an increase of 123,000 since Q3 2017, and an overall increase of 973,000 since Q3 2013, the earliest comparable figure.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 28/11/2018 14:36:25 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire