§ Mr. HannamTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what measures his Department is taking to encourage and promote part-time working for those disabled people unable to work full time;
(2) whether his Department's internal review of employment assistance to disabled adults is examining the possibility of introducing a partial capacity benefit to facilitate part-time working by disabled people unable to work full time.
§ Mr. EggarAs my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security announced on 10 January, the Government propose to introduce a disability employment credit to make it easier for people with disabilities to take up and remain in work. The new benefit, to be introduced in April 1992, will help people with disabilities whose earning capacity is low, including those who are only able to work part time.
Following publication of the report "Defusing the Demographic Timebomb" my Department is encouraging 719W employers through a range of media to make more use of flexible working patterns, including part-time working, to obtain suitable employees. The value of part-time working in drawing on the talents of people with disabilities is also stressed in our code of good practice on the employment of disabled people and by the Disablement Advisory Service.
§ Mr. HannamTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department expects to publish its internal review of employment assistance to disabled adults, commissioned in March 1988.
§ Mr. EggarThe review is at an advanced stage. The consultative document which will follow the review will be published as soon as possible.