Written questions by Kyrke-Smith.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Carer’s Allowance eligibility and conditionality on families where a child is unable to attend school for medical and special educational reasons.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of withdrawing funding from certain Level 6 apprenticeships, such as the Level 6 Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship, on employers’ ability to develop internal leadership pipelines, improve workforce productivity, and retain staff.

Awaiting answer.

With reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee’s Occasional Paper 27 entitled The influence of the social security system on educational and vocational decision-making at age 16, what steps he is taking to support 16- and 17-year-old apprentices experiencing loss of income after starting apprenticeships due to exclusion from family benefit calculations; and if he will implement the Committee’s recommendation to close the transitional payment gap between benefit recalculation and receipt of the apprentice’s first wage.

The Government is determined to reverse the 40% drop in young people starting apprenticeships, and so we welcome the Social Security Advisory Committee’s insight into this important area. We are carefully considering the report's recommendations and will respond in due course.

What steps he is taking to reduce the number of women leaving the workforce due to menopause-related health issues.

The government is committed to tackling the challenges women face in the labour market at every stage of life, and with the right menopause workplace support, we can help unlock the full talent and creativity of women across the country. As part of the Employment Rights Act 2025, the government committed to supporting women experiencing menopause in the workplace by encouraging employers with 250 or more employees to produce an action plan, from April 2026, covering the steps they are taking to support employees experiencing the menopause. As part of the plan to Make Work Pay, the government also committed to publishing guidance, including for small employers, on measures relating to uniform and temperature, flexible working and recording menopause-related leave and absence. This is available on the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) website. On 1 April 2026, Mariella Frostrup was appointed as the government’s Women’s Employment Ambassador, building on her work over the past 18 months as Menopause Employment Ambassador, where she raised awareness and strengthened employer understanding of menopause in the workplace. In this expanded role, she is championing women’s health across the life course, ensuring menopause remains a key priority, and working with employers to improve workplace support, raise awareness of key health issues and highlight women’s economic contribution.

What steps he is taking to encourage small and medium sized businesses to retain apprentices once they complete their apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships help give small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) the skills they need to grow, enabling them to fill vacancies, train their workforces and fill skills gaps. Retaining apprentices after completion enables smaller employers to maximise the return on their investment in training which includes the need to release their apprentices for off-the-job training. The Government encourages small and medium-sized businesses to retain apprentices through targeted financial incentives and employer support. Employers of all sizes can receive up to £2,000 for taking on foundation apprentices, with the final payment made only if the apprentice progresses to a further apprenticeship with the same employer within 6 months. For non-levy paying employers (who are predominantly SMEs), we are introducing a new hiring grant, worth £2,000, to take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. Payments are made in instalments to support retention and/or progression of apprentices. The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN), made up of around 3,000 employers and apprentices across nine regional networks, which provides mentoring and peer support to help smaller businesses recruit and retain apprentices. Many apprentices will remain with their employer following their apprenticeship and 94% of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship go into work or further training, with the majority in sustained employment.

What recent progress the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment has made.

Following expressions of interest, the steering group was recruited to oversee co-production of the Timms Review.The group have met and discussed principles of working and areas of focus and will meet regularly to determine the Review’s strategic direction and recommendations. The group will shape a wider and fully accessible programme of participation bringing together a full range of views. It is committed to regular updates on progress.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that guide dog owners are not refused access to (a) businesses and (b) other services.

The Equality Act 2010 places a general duty on businesses and service providers to make reasonable adjustments to allow disabled people, including people with assistance dogs, access to goods and services so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Equality Act. It has published guidance - ‘Assistance Dogs: a guide for businesses and service providers’ - to help businesses understand what they can do to meet their legal duties to assistance dog owners.Duties and protections under the Equality Act are ultimately enforceable through the courts, and anybody who thinks that they have been discriminated against - including where access to an assistance dog has been refused - can take legal action to seek to resolve the issue. The EHRC will support people who have experienced discrimination through that process.Over the years, Ministers have held discussions with Guide Dogs UK about their ‘Open Doors’ campaign which aims to achieve the fullest possible access for owners of guide dogs and assistance dogs. I fully support that campaign and the principle that Guide Dogs and assistance dogs should always be allowed access, except in the most exceptional circumstances.

If she will review the current set of questions on the Disability Living Allowance for children claim form.

There are currently no plans to review the Disability Living Allowance claim form (DLA1). The questions on the claim form are intended to gather sufficient information from parents/guardians to accurately award children and young people the appropriate Disability Living Allowance award.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of launching a digital version of the Disability Living Allowance for Children claim form that can be submitted online.

DLA Child is currently undergoing transformation as part of DWP’s Service Modernisation Programme. Work is underway to explore options including how to apply, with the aim of providing a sustainable, simplified and accessible service and the ability for customers to self-serve.