§ Mr. CrausbyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is registered as disabled; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people within his Department. [101668]
§ Mr. Morley6.8 per cent. of staff in core MAFF have declared that they consider they have a disability which falls within the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The percentage is 6.0 per cent. when Agency staff are included.
We encourage the employment of people with disabilities by including equal opportunities statements in all job advertisements and providing reasonable adjustments at interview and during employment. For most clerical posts and equivalents we offer selection tests for people with disabilities who do not have the required academic qualifications. We employ people under the Employment Service's Supported Employment Scheme and provide mechanisms for helping staff with disabilities to adjust to any changes in their situation. We also have an ongoing programme of building works to improve access for people with disabilities.