Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Bridgen Excerpts
Monday 18th March 2019

(5 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Guy Opperman Portrait Guy Opperman
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I am delighted to hear about the very welcome development that has been communicated by the Secretary of State today. I can confirm what the Employment Minister has set out today, and I am delighted that this progress has been made.

Andrew Bridgen Portrait Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)
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I am glad that 145,000 more people with disabilities have found work in the last 12 months, leading to a total of 930,000 moving into work in the last five years. Does the Minister agree that the Government’s declared target of helping 1 million people with disabilities into work could be rather more ambitious than it is?

Guy Opperman Portrait Guy Opperman
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One million is a great start, but I believe that there is capability for more. I encourage all employers up and down the country to consider the many talented disabled people who want to join the workforce. The numbers are up all over the country already, as my hon. Friend outlines, but there is a lot more that can be done.