In Department for Work and Pension Questions, Local MP Huw Merriman raised the importance of supporting autistic people in to employment. Huw chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism and works closely with the National Autistic Society. 

On Twitter, Huw praised NAS' Autism at Work programme, which aims to increase the number of autistic people in sustainable paid employment by making employers aware of autistic talent and the benefits of a truly neurodiverse workforce. 

Huw Merriman MP: 

I thank the Minister for that response and the work she is doing. The Office for National Statistics highlighted back in November last year that, tragically, only 25% of autistic adults are in any form of meaningful employment despite record job vacancies. I am encouraged by the Minister’s additional steps, but what can we do to get the regional adjustments in place so employers really take this seriously?

Chloe Smith MP, Minister of State for Work and Pensions: 

There is a lot that we can do together and this is an effort for the Government, for employers and for others such as the National Autistic Society and the all-party group on autism, to which my hon. Friend gives a lot of time. He asks what we are doing: we are engaging with employers through the disability confident scheme; we are supporting jobseekers, workers and employers through Access to Work; and, as I have said, we are making our jobcentres and youth hubs inclusive in the way they ought to be.