§ 7. Mr. Tom Levitt (High Peak)What measures he is taking to promote the retention of people in employment when they become disabled. [64042]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment (Ms Margaret Hodge)My hon. Friend has drawn attention to an important aspect of our drive to help people with disabilities into the labour market. Clearly, it makes good sense to offer early help to people who, through disability, risk losing their job. The Employment Service already helps some 5,000 disabled people a year to retain their jobs and the new deal for disabled people will explore what further employment and training support is needed.
As part of the £30 million package of extra help that we announced in October, we are increasing the amount of help that is provided through access to work by £12 million over the next three years. I am also working with colleagues in other Departments and with the voluntary sector to ensure that all our policies work in tandem to help disabled people to remain in work.
§ Mr. LevittMy hon. Friend is clearly aware that to assist a disabled person to stay in work enhances not only their dignity and income, but their productivity, and prevents them from what could be a lifetime on the dole. It must be frustrating for an employee in middle age to lose their job because of reduced dexterity and mobility or increased sensory impairment. I welcome the measures that my hon. Friend has described.
Will my hon. Friend assure the House that not only now through the agencies of the Employment Service, but in future through the Disability Rights Commission, the retention of disabled people in their current employment will be promoted wherever possible?
§ Ms HodgeI am delighted to be able to reassure my hon. Friend on that point. I would particularly like to thank him for all his work in supporting civil rights for disabled people. Clearly, it makes good sense to try to keep people in their jobs, rather than to force them on to benefits and then to try to bring them back into the labour market, so that will be the thrust of all our policies.
§ Mr. Michael Jack (Fylde)While I welcome what the Minister says, is she aware of the considerable difficulties experienced by the children who come out of a school such as the Pear Tree school in my constituency—which deals with children who have severe learning difficulties—in gaining a place in the employment sector in the first place? Will she undertake to study the matter and to look at the problems that are being encountered by the school in connection with further education, social services and the Employment Service? As a first step, will she to speak to the school's head mistress, Mrs. Jean Cooke, about her first-hand experience in that difficult area?
§ Ms HodgeI give the reassurance that, if the right hon. Gentleman writes to me, I will look into the particular circumstances of the children who leave that school. I know that he has raised the matter previously with my hon. Friend the Minister for School Standards in relation to the Green Paper on special educational needs. Clearly, it is important that young children with learning disabilities should be given opportunities in the labour market. Part of the new deal and our policies to open access to further education are geared towards ensuring that those opportunities exist.
§ Mr. Peter L. Pike (Burnley)Will my hon. Friend give an assurance that Remploy factories, which have a tremendous history of employing disabled peopled, have an important part to play, in addition to all the other measures that the Government are announcing?
§ Ms HodgeI can give my hon. Friend the assurance that Remploy will have a crucial role over the coming period in ensuring that we provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities. We want not only to provide opportunities in its factories, but to ensure that we can progress people through the factory into open employment, so that we can start to deal with the discrimination that people have experienced in the labour market over many years.
§ Rev. Martin Smyth (Belfast, South)I welcome the steps that have been taken, but sometimes it is difficult to get what might be available through to people who require that help. Is the onus on the individual, or are the social security officers being trained to give guidance to those with disabilities as to the benefits and aids that might be available?
§ Ms HodgeI am working with my colleagues in the Department of Social Security to ensure that we get a joined up Government approach to ensuring employment opportunities for disabled people. I am also working with colleagues in the Department of Health, so that we can get that liaison going. We have special advisers in the Employment Service focusing on the employment needs of disabled people.
As well as educating those who work with disabled people in the public services, we hope to mount an information and education campaign among employers so that they can take advantage of the abilities that disabled people can offer in the workplace. The campaign will also encourage employers to open up job opportunities in their businesses to more disabled people.