Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Anne Begg (Labour). It was answered on Wednesday, 5 March 2008 on behalf of the Scotland Office.

Unemployment

Question: One way of getting more people into employment in Glasgow and elsewhere is through the Department for Work and Pensions’ Workstep programme, which provides job subsidies to employers of people with severe disabilities. What would my hon. Friend say about a local authority that signed a Workstep contract with the DWP to supply work for 35 disabled people a week after SNP and Liberal Democrat councillors effectively voted to close the same factory in which those people work? How can that help people get into employment?

Answer: My hon. Friend is an acknowledged and nationally respected champion of disabled people, who has championed many programmes to help disabled people get into work not only in Glasgow, but in her own Aberdeen constituency. I am very concerned to hear about that proposed cut by Aberdeen city council, so I beg it not to take any action that would make it more difficult for disabled people to get into work, which would be entirely wrong.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 472 c1737;472 c1735
Session: 2007-08
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Disability Aberdeen City Council Glasgow Job creation Unemployment Workstep
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk