PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
DISABLED WORKERS AND PRODUCTIVITY (14 December 2017)

That this House warmly welcomes the Government's commitment, set out in the new employment strategy for disabled people, Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability, to see one million more disabled people in work over the next 10 years; shares the Government's belief that the world of work should be open to all who want and have the capacity to work; notes with deep concern that the disability employment gap has remained static at 30 percentage points for more than a decade, and that too many disabled people continue to face barriers to entering, staying and progressing in employment, unable to fulfil their potential and participate fully in the UK economy; deeply regrets the comment of the Chancellor of the Exchequer when giving oral evidence to the Treasury Committee on 6 December 2017, that it is almost certainly the case that, by increasing participation in the workforce, including far higher levels of participation by marginal groups and very high levels of engagement in the workforce, for example, by disabled people, which is something everyone should be extremely proud of, the Government may have had an impact on the overall productivity measurement; fears the adverse impact that this factually inaccurate and deeply harmful comment will have on disabled people's chances of entering and staying in work; and calls on the Chancellor to clarify or retract his comment.

Sponsored by:
Caroline Lucas (Green Party)