§ Mr. CallaghanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to394W introduce further incentives in the near future to encourage firms to employ an increased percentage of disabled workers. [30351]
§ Mr PaiceThe Disability Discrimination Act 1995 will provide an effective legal framework for improving access to jobs, and participation in all aspects of work, for disabled people. The Secretary of State for Education and Employment intends to commence the employment provisions of the Act around the end of the year. Together with the practical schemes and services that the Government provide through the Employment Service and training and enterprise councils both for disabled people and for their employers, this will help to ensure that disabled people can make increased use of the available opportunities.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many registered disabled people are employed by her Department; and what percentage this is of the total figures. [30776]
§ Mr PaiceThe number of registered disabled staff employed by the Department, including its agencies, was 1,597 at 1 April 1996. This was 3.69 per cent. of the total number of staff employed by the Department.