Disabled People (Hansard, 13 December 1989)

§ Miss Emma Nicholson
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment his Department has made of the demographic changes to the work force and the ability of disabled people to fill the associated skills gap in the work force.

§ Mr. Eggar
The Employment Department makes regular projections of the size and age structure of the labour force. The latest figures, based on 1987 based population projections and preliminary results of the 1988 labour force survey, were published in theEmployment Gazette, April 1989, and cover the period up to the year 2000. The annual labour force survey collects information on the qualifications of those with work-limiting health problems and disabilities. It is clear that people with disabilities suffer higher unemployment rates than able bodied people and are under utilised in the labour market. The shortage of young people in the 1990s means that employers will have to make better use of their workers and seek new sources of recruitment, including people with disabilities.

§ Miss Emma Nicholson
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment his Department has made of the need for anti-discrimination legislation to ensure equal employment opportunities for disabled people.

§ Mr. Nicholls
A consultative document covering the conclusions of the review will be published as soon as possible.
Successive Governments have judged that education and persuasion of employers is the most effective approach to improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The role of legislation is one of the matters being considered in the review of services to the disabled currently being undertaken by this Department.

§ Miss Emma Nicholson
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what help he has given to disabled persons to train them in the use of microtechnology.

§ Mr. Eggar
Many people are given the opportunity to acquire relevant skills and to train in the uses of microtechnology through all the Training Agency's programmes. People with disabilities play a full and growing part in those programmes.
In addition, people who because of their disability are helped by the use of microtechnology-based equipment supplied through the special aids to employment scheme to undertake training or employment are entitled to any necessary introductory training in the use of that equipment.

§ Miss Emma Nicholson
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what programmes he has commissioned aimed at changing employers' attitudes towards the employment of disabled people.

§ Mr. Eggar
My Department encourages employers to adopt good policies and practices in the employment of people with disabilities mainly through marketing action by the 65 area teams of the Disablement Advisory Service; promotion of the code of good practice in the employment of disabled people and of a number of supporting publications and videos; and the fit for work award scheme.
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In addition, disablement resettlement officers and other jobcentre staff help employers to obtain suitable employees with disabilities, and financial help is available to help overcome specific barriers at work. My Department is currently reviewing its services for people with disabilities, and a consultative document will be published shortly.