§ Sir David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Employment what have been his Department's specific contributions to the International Year of Disabled People.
§ Mr. AlisonDuring the International Year of Disabled People the Government gave their full support to the Manpower Services Commission's fit for work campaign which, in common with the stated aims of the international year, is designed to create a greater awareness of the abilities of disabled people among the general public, and employers in particular. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, together with other Ministerial colleagues, was particularly pleased to be able to attend the reception for fit for work award winners in November.
Earlier in the year, as part of the campaign linked with the international year, the MSC and the BBC organised an "able to work" week of radio programmes on the employment of disabled people in which my right hon. Friends the then Secretary of State and Minister of State for Employment took part.
2WDuring the year, the MSC, which is responsible for providing public employment and training services for disabled people, co-operated in a great many local and national initiatives held under the auspices of the international year. It also concluded major policy reviews of its employment rehabilitation provision and the quota scheme. The review of employment rehabilitation recommended developments, one of which has already commenced, to experiment with different and improved methods of provision and we are currently considering the commission's proposals to replace the quota scheme by a different form of statutory protection in the light of comments from interested parties.