Question
I thank the Minister very much for that answer, but he will know that in Northern Ireland the disability employment gap remains, at 40.3%, the largest in the whole of the United Kingdom. Persistently low employment rates are particularly concerning following the loss of the European social fund financial support, which previously aided many employment services and disabled people in Northern Ireland. What discussions will the Minister have with the relevant Minister back home in Northern Ireland to secure sustainable replacement funding for those services, and to ensure that disabled people have the support and opportunities they need to access public services in the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland?
Answer
The hon. Gentleman raises an extremely important point. The disability employment gap has been stuck at the same level across the UK pretty much since 2010. We have committed an extra £3.5 billion over this Parliament to improve employment support for disabled people and others out of work who have complex barriers. We are rolling out Connect to Work across England and Wales. I very much hope that that funding and the Barnett consequentials will enable similar improvements in Northern Ireland.20% point-scoring 20% vibes
Verdict: RED (22/100)
The reply does not clearly answer the question. It acknowledges the Northern Ireland concern and points to a UK-wide £3.5 billion employment support commitment, but it does not describe the Minister's engagement with his Northern Ireland counterpart or set out a plan to replace the ESF-funded services. The measures it cites focus on employment support, and the Connect to Work rollout covers only England and Wales, so disabled people's access to services in Northern Ireland is not addressed. The asker would likely need to submit a follow-up for specific commitments.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the nature of the Minister's engagement with the relevant Northern Ireland Minister on securing sustainable replacement funding for employment services in Northern Ireland previously supported by the European Social Fund. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply never describes the Minister's engagement with the Northern Ireland Minister; it offers only an acknowledgment that the point is important and a hope that Barnett consequentials will enable improvements in Northern Ireland, which is a gesture rather than a description of engagement. |
| What is the department's plan to secure sustainable replacement funding for employment services in Northern Ireland previously supported by the European Social Fund, including those supporting disabled people. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply cites a concrete £3.5 billion UK-wide commitment to employment support for disabled people, but it does not set out a plan to replace ESF-funded Northern Ireland services; the only Northern Ireland link is a hope that Barnett consequentials will help, and the Connect to Work rollout it describes covers only England and Wales. |
| What is the department doing to ensure that disabled people have the support and opportunities they need to access public services in the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. | Partially Addressed | Direct MISREADS QUESTION | The reply's concrete measures are about employment support rather than disabled people's access to public services in general, and the Connect to Work rollout is explicitly limited to England and Wales, so Northern Ireland is not covered. |