§ 1. Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent representations she has received about the employment of disabled people; and if she will make a statement. [11724]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment (Mrs. Cheryl Gillan)We often receive representations about a wide range of issues relating to the employment of disabled people, who now have important new rights in this area as a result of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
§ Mr. ThurnhamIs the Minister aware of the excellent work done by the Shaw trust, which has placed more than 2,000 people with disabilities in jobs at a cost of some £4,000 per job? Is she aware that the factory jobs at Remploy now cost three times as much? Does she not think that the subsidy of nearly £100 million to Remploy, if it were used as effectively as the Shaw trust uses its funds, could provide an additional 10,000 jobs for people with disabilities?
§ Mrs. GillanI am glad that the hon. Gentleman has raised the Shaw trust as an excellent example of what can be achieved by an organisation to ensure that valuable members of our society, although severely disabled, can enter employment successfully. The work of Mr. Tim Papé is well known to the Department and he continues to have a good dialogue with my noble Friend Lord Henley, who has direct responsibility for these matters. Last year the Department provided nearly £9.5 million in support of placements with the Shaw trust, and the Employment Service has every intention of continuing to contract with the trust to enable it to continue its excellent work.
Remploy factories are expensive by comparison with supported placements, but that is because they provide different types of support. When we compare like with like, Remploy's version of supported placement into work delivers placements at a unit cost which compares favourably with that of other supported placement providers.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthHow many people who were on incapacity benefit have simply disappeared from the records rather than going on to jobseeker's allowance or moving into a job? Does the hon. Lady know? Does she care?
§ Mrs. GillanI think that that is a most ungracious question. Everybody knows that the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 strikes a balance between the disabled and the employer and we ensure that no disabled person receives less favourable treatment. I would have expected the hon. Gentleman to welcome the Act and to talk about the potential that it has provided for all disabled people in this country.