§ Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the extent to which the 3 per cent. quota under the Disabled Persons Act is fulfilled by central and local government bodies.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the level of quota compliance does not reflect the true extent of the employment of disabled people. Quota applies only to registered disabled people and many disabled people choose not to register. Nevertheless, I believe that there is scope for some improvement in quota performance in both the public and private sectors of employment, though the 3 per cent. level overall is quite unattainable under the present system.
The Manpower Services Commission is reviewing the quota scheme and issued a discussion document in May to seek the views of interested parties on the options available to protect the employment opportunities of disabled people. The document also seeks views on how best 133W to define and identify those disabled people. The Manpower Services Commission's autumn promotional campaign, which was recently announced, will aim to bring home to employers in both public and private sectors of employment that disabled people are fit for work, and will encourage a positive approach to their employment.