The Government was elected on a manifesto commitment to halve the disability employment gap.
Their ambition was the subject of an inquiry by the Work and Pensions Select Committee chaired by the Labour MP Frank Field. The submission below is in response to their call for evidence.
Our evidence uses DWP’s own tabulation tool to illustrate that the target cannot be reached on the basis of the current performance of welfare to work programmes.
We present evidence too that there are set to be insufficient vacancies in the economy. However we do support the commitment and have identified the elements of a strategy and have also offered specific and developed proposals for how this might be achieved with the involvement of disabled people.
The Work and Pensions Inquiry is constrained by its remit and scrutiny function and so is largely concerned with the policies and programmes of the Department of Work and Pensions. It is for this reason that we are pleased to see that the All Party Parliamentary Group on Disability is also holding an inquiry. Their inquiry focuses upon the role of disabled people (and those who define policy affecting their prospects) in creating markets, community and jobs. Their inquiry focuses more on the policies and programmes of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.
Find out more about the inquiry on the Parliament website