§ Mr. Michael SpicerTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to publicise the advantages to employers of employing disabled people in respect of their aptitude for certain kind of work, including routine work.
Mr. JacksonWe believe that people with disabilities have the same range of abilities as others in the labour market, and that they should have access to the full range of employment opportunities. The Department already encourages employers to recognise the advantages of employing people with disabilities and to adopt and implement constructive policies and practices in this area. The Employment Service's disablement advisory service works with employers to achieve this.
In 1984, the Department published the code of good practice on the employment of disabled people; in 1990, 614W my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State launched the disability symbol initiative, which offers employers the opportunity to state publicly their commitment to recruiting, integrating in employment, retaining and offering career development to people with disabilities. The Department has also recently reconstituted the committees for the employment of people with disabilities and has given them a more focused brief to promote effective policies to employers.