Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of the Government as an employer and commissioner to increasing rates of employment among disabled people.

All Government Departments have clear objectives to increase workforce diversity, including disabled people. We have been working with officials across Whitehall to assess the proportion of disabled people employed by Government, and to identify ways to improve those numbers.

As at 31 March 2015, 8.9% of Civil Service employees declared their disability status, up from 7.6% in 2010 and 8.8% in 2014.

With reference to commissioning, successful bidders for contracts in excess of 12 months are required to submit annual Diversity & Equality Delivery Plans, workforce monitoring data and Contractor and any Sub-contractor’s policy/policies and procedures for preventing unlawful discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity in respect of a range of groups, including people with a disability.

This Government is committed to being an exemplar employer and will continue to support employers and disabled people to create opportinities and increase disability emplyment.