(2) what recent assessment she has made of her Department’s progress towards its target of reducing the national incapacity benefits caseload by one million by 2015.
The Government's aim is to reduce the number of people on employment and support allowance and incapacity benefits by 1 million by 2015 from a baseline of 2.74 million in 2005. Recipients of incapacity benefits include customers receiving incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance, income support (on incapacity grounds) and employment and support allowance.
We expect the further planned reforms to employment and support allowance and incapacity benefits to help us make significant progress towards our aim to reduce the numbers on employment and support allowance and incapacity benefits by 1 million.