§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the operation of the ACE scheme and give the following information: how many people are currently employed on the ACE scheme, how many people currently employed on the ACE scheme are disabled and what this is as a percentage of the total number employed on ACE schemes, how many sponsor organisations within the ACE scheme employ 20 or more staff and which statutory provisions apply to these organisations, what information he has as to how many sponsor organisations within the ACE scheme fulfil their obligations under the 1945 and 1960 Acts to employ a minimum of 3 per cent. registered disabled people, what arrangements are made by the Department of Economic Development for Northern Ireland to monitor whether organisations in receipt of public money fulfil their legal obligations in respect of employing disabled people and what action is taken by the Department of Economic Development against organisations who are in breach of the provisions of the Disabled Persons (Employment) National Insurance Act 1945 and 1960; if he will list any prosecutions undertaken and the outcome in each case; what is his policy regarding promotion of equality of opportunity in obtaining employment under the ACE scheme for disabled people; and whether he has any plans to introduce further measures to ensure that disabled people have equality of opportunity to obtain employment under the ACE scheme.
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§ Mr. NeedhamThe Action for Community Employment (ACE) scheme provides temporary employment for up to one year for the long-term unemployed in work of community benefit. A total of 10,561 people are currently employed on the ACE scheme and 182 or 1.7 per cent. of the total work force have declared themselves to be disabled; 147 sponsors employ 20 or more staff; ACE sponsors are subject to all statutory provisions affecting employers;
Information about the number of ACE sponsors who meet their obligations under the 1945 and 1960 disabled person's legislation is not available.
Organisations in receipt of public money, in common with all other employers, are required to obtain a permit from the Department of Economic Development if they do not meet the quota obligations imposed by statutory provision and wish to recruit non-disabled employees. Permits are issued only where the Department is satisfied the employer has made every effort to recruit registered disabled people and has been unsuccessful. Employers with 20 or more employees are required to make an annual return to the Department of Economic Development showing the number of disabled workers in their work force. Visits are paid by the Department's disablement resettlement officers to employers not fulfilling their quota obligations to check on their recruitment practices and to advise on the recruitment of registered disabled people. It has not previously been normal practice for DRO's to monitor recruitment of disabled people into ACE jobs, but this matter is now under review.
Employers in breach of the statutory provisions are liable to prosecution, but it is generally considered more appropriate to advise employers about any departures from their statutory obligations and provide advice and assistance in helping them to meet their obligations; there have been no prosecutions.
The Department's policy is that registered disabled people should be given every opportunity to compete on equal terms with their non-disabled colleagues for ACE jobs, and should benefit from the special measures in operation to assist with the employment of this group. Under existing recruitment rules disabled people get preferential treatment in that they need only to have been unemployed for eight out of the previous 15 months before being eligible for the scheme and can obtain a further ACE job 16 months after leaving the scheme, instead of the normal 24 months. In a recent series of conferences with ACE sponsors special attention was drawn to the employment needs of disabled people and sponsors were asked to develop positive policies towards the employment of these people. The Department of Economic Development is currently reviewing measures that may be taken to increase the number of registered disabled people employed in the ACE programme.