To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the National Disability Strategy published by the Government in July 2021, when the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work plans to chair the first quarterly meeting of the Disability Ministerial Champions; and whether her Department plans to publish targets to review in each of those meetings to hold the cross-government strategy to account.
Answered on
20 October 2021
The first Ministerial Disability Champions were appointed in summer 2020, at the request of the Prime Minister, to drive the development and delivery of the National Disability Strategy.
Their role, as set out on GOV.UK, includes championing disabled people and driving the delivery of the National Disability Strategy in their respective departments. All champions contributed a statement of intent, and a specific range of commitments published in the Strategy.
The Strategy committed to publishing an annual report in summer 2022, which will detail the progress made against the commitments. The Ministerial Disability Champions will have direct input into the annual report.
An updated list of Departmental Ministerial Disability Champions will be published on GOV.UK in due course. The next ministerial champions meeting is due to happen this month.