To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on whether a claimant of employment and support allowance in the support group who is referred to the Work Choice scheme will be reassessed in a work capability assessment.

Individuals placed in the Support Group of employment and support allowance (ESA) are those who face the greatest barriers to employment. They are not expected or mandated to undertake any work-related activity. However, should they wish to participate in work-related activity on a voluntary basis, the Government have put in place programmes such as the Work Choice scheme, to provide individuals with the necessary tailored support to do so.

Everyone who claims ESA will undergo periodic work capability assessments (WCAs) to ascertain whether they still meet the conditions for the benefit. When an individual has a WCA, the examining health care professional will give advice on when they should be assessed again. This advice is based on a likely improvement in the person's condition over a three to 18-month period. Where the condition is unlikely to change significantly in the longer term, cases will be looked at again at a later date, normally within two years. Being on the Work Choice scheme has no bearing on the timing of future reassessment dates.