TAILORED SUPPORT BETTER THAN STEREOTYPED ATTACKS AT HELPING DISABLED PEOPLE INTO WORK: MULHOLLAND

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 13th Oct 2005

Following the much trailed comments in the national press about how David Blunkett, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, wants people on incapacity benefits to stop watching daytime TV, get on their bikes and get a job, Greg Mulholland MP, member of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, said:

"It is a pity that all the hard work of local disability employment advisers and jobcentre plus staff is being damaged by a Secretary of State who seems more interested in courting dramatic media headlines that denigrate and stereotype many incapacity benefit recipients instead of proposing effective measures to help those people back into work.

"There are 2,500 people claiming incapacity benefits in Leeds North West and a very many of them will be more than willing to get the help and support they need to get a suitable job. Recent research shows that where there is individually targeted help and support, disabled people can be helped back into work. It also shows that in most cases the support available is very much appreciated.

"I shall be pressing the Government to ensure that there is genuine investment in high quality support and advice across the whole country. And I shall be critical when Government ministers conduct the debate around welfare reform in such negative terms that they risk undermining the prospects for real reform.

"It would have been better if Mr Blunkett had also taken the opportunity to publicise the Access to Work programme which helps employers make a variety of adjustments in the workplace when they have employees with disabilities. This is a good scheme so it is a scandal that three quarters of small firms know nothing about it."