§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he can now say when he proposes to publish a consultative document on the future of the quota scheme for disabled people.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithA consultative document about the future of the quota scheme for disabled people is being published today.
The future of the scheme is closely linked with my Department's other activities on behalf of disabled people and this document is the second in a series of papers which together will com- 40W prehensively review our employment policies and services for disabled people and consider how they can best be improved. The document reviews the working of the quota scheme and considers a number of possibilities for the future. But it reaches no conclusions and is intended to form the basis of widespread public discussion of the difficult issues involved and to enable the Secretary of State to obtain the views of the many organisations and individuals interested in this field. The Secretary of State will not make up his mind about the future of the scheme until he has had a chance to consider these views. Personal copies of the document are being sent to all those hon. Members known to be interested in the employment problems of disabled people; and further copies are available in the Vote Office.