Written question asked by Harry Cohen (Labour) on Friday, 4 January 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 8 January 2008. It was answered by Anne McGuire (Labour) on Monday, 21 January 2008 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Unum Provident

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what contacts there have been between Unum Provident and his Department in the last five years.

Answer: The Government consulted widely with stakeholders in public and private sector organisations such as Unum Provident about its welfare reform plans. Unum Provident was one of over 600 organisations who responded to the Government's Green Paper on welfare reform when comments were invited. The Department has commissioned work from a variety of research establishments over this period, including the University of Wales Medical School, now incorporating the Cardiff University Centre for Psychosocial and Disability Research, which is sponsored by Unum Provident, but the Department has no direct relationship, commercial or otherwise, with Unum Provident.Along with other experts, two Unum Provident employees have contributed to the work of the Technical Working Group that carried out the review of the personal capability assessment, but their contribution was as individual experts in benefit assessment and in supporting return to work for people with disabilities, rather than acting on behalf of Unum Provident.Ministers have also taken part in symposia arranged by "Beginnings", a Unum-sponsored consortium of a wide range of public, private and voluntary sector organisations brought together to develop an integrated approach to disability issues.

Secondary information