Asked by
To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have for new
initiatives to encourage business and industry to employ disabled
people.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work
and Pensions () (Con)
My Lords, a range of government initiatives are already
supporting disabled people to start, stay and succeed in work.
The Government are working to improve and better integrate
resources for businesses, helping them to support and manage
health and disability in the workplace. The Government are
looking in detail at workforce participation, including
discussions with business and industry, whose role is key to
making the most of the talents of disabled people in the
workforce.
(Lab)
I thank the Minister for his helpful Answer; I will follow up on
some of the points that he just made. Just 5% of adults with a
learning disability are in work. One way to change this is by
offering more supported internships; the charity Hft tells me
that this helps business better understand the benefits of
employing someone with a learning disability. However, the
problem is that supported internships are available to people
only up to the age of 25. Will the Government consider extending
this scheme to include learning-disabled people over the age of
25, which would enable many more to get into work?
(Con)
I appreciate the noble Lord’s question and the work that he does
in this area. I can assure him that the Government are committed
to reducing the disability employment
gap including in relation to the young and interns. It is
important that those who have a disability are given every chance
to start on the path to a career. What I cannot do, I am afraid,
is commit to the noble Lord’s point about extending the scheme
beyond the age of 25, but I have noted it and will take it back
to the department.
(CB)
My Lords, what happened to the Government’s national disability
strategy, which was declared illegal by the Court of Appeal a
while ago? It does not seem to have been renewed. Moreover, many
of the recommendations made by the committee on disability that I
chaired have still not been implemented by the Government. When
are the Government going to be proactive?
(Con)
We have a disability action plan, but it is separate from the
noble Baroness’s point about the national disability strategy. We
are disappointed by, and strongly disagree with, the High Court’s
finding that that strategy was unlawful; as the noble Baroness
may know, the Secretary of State has been granted permission to
appeal the court’s declaration. In order to ensure compliance
with the court’s declaration, we are obliged to pause a limited
number of policies referred to in the strategy or directly
connected with it, which is a disappointment.
(LD)
My Lords, I declare my interests in this field as set out in the
register. What are the Government doing to make sure that
businesses, particularly small ones, know that, if they employ a
disabled people, they have somebody who is less likely to take
time off work and less likely to change jobs frequently—both
those things are proven—than a non-disabled person? This sort of
information would certainly help to break down perceptual
barriers.
(Con)
Indeed, and this is very much a matter for Jobcentre Plus.
Further training is being given to job coaches in jobcentres. It
is very important that those with health conditions or
disabilities receive the support and advice that they need to
move into or to stay in employment.
(Lab)
My Lords, last December, research conducted by the economic and
social inclusion unit revealed the huge benefits and the
challenges regarding the working conditions, employment and
retention of personal assistants for working-age disabled people
to allow them to be economically active. This is the third time
that I have raised this issue in the House, so hopefully it will
be third time lucky. Has the Minister taken account of this
useful evidence on service user need and experience? Will it
inform improvements and, if so, how and when?
(Con)
Yes, indeed, I am aware of the question. Although I do not have
an answer to that point, I will certainly write to the noble
Baroness about it. I am not sure that she has asked it three
times, but maybe she did so with my predecessor.
(Con)
My Lords, employment figures show that a significant number of
older people have left the labour market. There is a large
differential in healthy life expectancy across the country. Many
people in their fifties and sixties are not well. Some may have
left work due to ill health or disability but would be able to
work part time. What more can the Government do to encourage
flexible working to provide more help in this area?
(Con)
As my noble friend will know, all employees have the legal right
to request flexible working provided they have worked for the
same employer for at least 26 weeks. As she will know, under the
Equality Act, employers must make reasonable adjustments to
ensure that workers with disabilities are not substantially
disadvantaged when doing their jobs. This could include a
flexible working arrangement; for example, a change to the
timing, hours or location of work. I assure her that in December
2022 the Government responded to a consultation that considered
changes to this legislation to provide employees with better
access to flexible working arrangements.
(PC)
My Lords, given that a major challenge to the UK’s economic
recovery is a significant labour shortage, not least because
activity rates for the over-50 age group remain low, is it not in
everyone’s interest that those labelled as disabled people should
be looked upon for their abilities rather than their
disabilities, and helped into the active workforce by the
availability of every positive assistance that the state can
provide?
(Con)
The noble Lord is right. This is why we have the disability
action plan, which, as I said to the noble Baroness, Lady Deech,
is distinct from the strategy. A new disability action plan will
be consulted on and published this year. It will set out the
action that the Government will take this year and in 2024 to
improve disabled people’s lives. The noble Lord is right that
ensuring that the voice of disabled people is properly heard is a
priority for the Government. We will run a fully accessible
public consultation on the plan this year.
(LD)
My Lords, on 12 January, the Disability News Service reported
that neither the Secretary of State, , nor , the Minister for Disabled People, had signed up to
become members of Disability Confident, unlike many previous
Ministers. On 23 January, said that
“we have to ensure that employers see disabled people with eyes
wide open—their abilities and the contribution they can make.
That is why we promote Disability Confident”.—[Official Report,
Commons, 23/1/23; col. 735.]
Have the Secretary of State and the Minister for Disabled People
now signed up to Disability Confident?
(Con)
I can certainly confirm that a whole range of departments have
signed up to this, including the Department for Work and
Pensions. Although I cannot answer the noble Baroness’s question
in terms of the individuals concerned, the department at least
has signed up.
(Con)
My Lords, for a number of years, the noble Lord, , and I have worked together to
improve the lives of disabled people. Motability has over 650,000
people. Importantly, what has changed is that now many of them
are computer literate. What is more, instead of loneliness, they
can work at an office. Many whom I know would love not only to do
that but to feel that they can put something back into society,
which has helped them over the years. How can we encourage
employers to realise that, as was just said, this would help the
economy?
(Con)
I hope that I can help my noble friend by talking about the work
that we are doing on communication. It is very important that a
digital service is organised for employers and offers tailored
guidance on health and disability. This is a key outcome of the
“health is everyone’s business” consultation, which was rolled
out in 2019. It is very important to use this as a vehicle to
allow the people to whom my noble friend referred to move forward
in their careers.
(CB)
My Lords, following the original Question about the low number of
adults with learning disabilities in the workforce, what are the
Government doing to ensure that schools have adequately funded
programmes available, so that young people with learning
disabilities can have work experience opportunities and,
therefore, develop their aspirations to be part of the future
workforce?
(Con)
The noble Baroness again raises an important point, which would
go to the Department for Education, but I will answer on behalf
of the Government. I have no doubt that there are some
initiatives within that department that would help in this area.
As I said earlier to the noble Lord, , it is very important to ensure
that those with disabilities can, as soon as possible, move
seamlessly from school into work and can stay in work.
(Con)
My Lords, several gardening charities do wonderful work with
people with disabilities, whether mental or otherwise. Would my
noble friend look at the opportunities that are offered in
horticulture, which range from simple to degree-level
qualifications?
(Con)
I will certainly look at that. My noble friend raises a very good
point and I happen to know somebody with disabilities who works
in the gardening sector. I agree that this is a useful area,
particularly for young people to start out in.
