§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the total work force in his Department are registered as disabled; what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people within his Department; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MatesAt 22 May 1992 there were 1,272 staff in the Northern Ireland civil service—4.3 per cent. of the service —who reported themselves as having a disability. Of these 443–1.5 per cent. of the service—were, or had been, registered as disabled. In addition, 45 registered disabled people were working in the Northern Ireland civil service under the sheltered placement scheme. No-one currently in the small home civil service staff group in the Northern Ireland Office is registered disabled.
As equal opportunities employers the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland civil service—NICS—encourage people with disabilities to apply for appointment. This is emphasised in all recruitment campaigns and advertising. Qualifications are waived for registered disabled persons for all posts in the NICS which include an aptitude test as part of the selection procedure. Every effort is made to enable people with disabilities to present themselves to best advantage and practical arrangements are made where required, for example, test papers in Braille or enlarged print, use of interpreters and so on. Where the merits of candidates are evenly balanced at interview, preference is given to a registered disabled person. Recruiting officers in the Northern Ireland Office receive disability awareness training, and all disabled applicants who meet the criteria are automatically invited for interview.
There is a comprehensive code of practice, "The Employment of Disabled People in the Northern Ireland Civil Service", a copy of which is included in the third report of the service's equal opportunities unit published in October 1989, and is available in the Library.