§ 31. Mr. CorbynTo ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many Commission staff are disabled. [8754]
§ Mr. BeithTwelve staff of the Commission are registered disabled people, but there are other disabled staff employed in Departments of the House who have not registered.
§ Mr. CorbynDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that 12 staff out of the very large staff complement in this building is an extremely low proportion? What steps are being taken to increase the number of registered disabled people who can work in this building? What is being done to improve access and other facilities so that disabled people can work on all floors in the building and in a much wider variety of jobs? Recently, people with disabilities, in a delegation to the Select Committee on Social Security, were given no fewer than three different routes to get from the street to present their case before the Committee, and went through a traumatic experience trying to get there. Is it not a disgrace that the Commission has failed to provide proper access to the building?
§ Mr. BeithAt 0.9 per cent., the proportion of disabled staff is lower than the Commission would like. The Commission would like to employ more disabled people on the staff of the House. It has a policy of showing the availability of all posts to people with disabilities, and of trying to make sure that the facilities available assist people with disabilities to take employment. It has pursued that policy vigorously. On access to the building for staff and visitors, the Commission has sought to implement all the advice that it has been given by the Accommodation and Works Committee and that 16 Committee's consultants on ways in which access can be improved. The Commission will continue to look favourably at suggestions for improvement of access.