Department for Work and Pensions written question – answered at on 10 June 2025.
Daniel Francis
Labour, Bexleyheath and Crayford
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleague on developing a cross-departmental strategy to support (a) carers and (b) disabled people into work.
Stephen Timms
The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions, Minister for Equalities (Department for Education)
The Get Britain Working white paper sets out a cross-government strategy to address key labour market challenges, especially tackling the increase in economic inactivity over recent years. It is part of wider government action to spread opportunity and fix the foundations of our economy.
This White Paper focuses on support for people who are economically inactive, people who are looking for work or want to progress, and people who are at risk of economic inactivity despite having a desire to stay in work. This includes disabled people, people with a long-term health condition, older people, young people, and those with caring responsibilities.
Additionally, in the Pathways to Work green paper we announced that we will be introducing a new guarantee that anyone who is claiming out of work benefits and is disabled or has a health condition will be able to access specialist work, health and skills support. This will be underpinned by additional funding of £1 billion a year by 2029/30. Following the conclusion of the green paper consultation period we will publish more detail on how the government will deliver the guarantee of access to work, health and skills support. We are working closely with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Secretary of State for Education on this.
On 3 December 2024, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I announced the appointment of Lead Ministers for Disability in every government department. The Lead Ministers for Disability will represent the interests of disabled people and champion disability inclusion and accessibility across each Department as they drive forward progress on the Government’s manifesto commitments and the five Missions.
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
A document issued by the Government laying out its policy, or proposed policy, on a topic of current concern.Although a white paper may occasion consultation as to the details of new legislation, it does signify a clear intention on the part of a government to pass new law. This is a contrast with green papers, which are issued less frequently, are more open-ended and may merely propose a strategy to be implemented in the details of other legislation.
More from wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_paper
A Green Paper is a tentative report of British government proposals without any commitment to action. Green papers may result in the production of a white paper.
From wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_paper
