Work Capability Assessment
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with the Office for Budget Responsibility on the timing of the implementation of changes to the Work Capability Assessment on their projections.
Answered by Sir Stephen Timms
The Work Capability Assessment is not working and needs to be reformed or replaced. This needs to come alongside a proper plan to support disabled people into work. We will continue to deliver the savings set out by the previous government but will set out our approach and timescale in the coming months. If changes to this policy - or any other policy - are made in future, this will be accounted for at a subsequent fiscal event.
The department does not routinely engage the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) on policy details such as this outside of fiscal events. It is also the case that this engagement would be carried out by officials on behalf of the department, not the ministerial team. Therefore, there have not been discussions between the Secretary of State and the OBR.
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