§ Mr. CrausbyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 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 in his Department. [102043]
§ Mr. ByersOn 1 April 1999, the percentage of staff who had notified the Department of a disability represented 4.2 per cent. of all staff. This included staff in DTI Headquarters, but excluded casual staff and staff in Government Offices and Executive Agencies.
The Department's external recruitment is through fair and open competition with selection on merit. We ensure that our recruitment processes are adapted to meet the requirements of disabled applicants.