HC Deb 30 October 2000 vol 355 c277W
Dr. Julian Lewis

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the recruitment of disabled people for front-line duty with the armed forces. [134919]

Mr. Spellar

The armed forces are required to maintain the highest possible level of combat effectiveness and to be able to undertake military operations anywhere in the world at very short notice. It is not therefore possible to recruit those with a disability into the armed forces which are exempt from the employment provisions (Part 2) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.