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Further Education and Training Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 30: 30: Clause 6 , page 6, line 17, at end insert— ““(dc) act with a view to secure sufficient and effective provision for disabled persons;”” The noble Baroness said: The amendments are fairly self-explanatory. They are the amendments suggested by the Disability Rights Commission mentioned by the noble Lord, Lord Low, in his excellent speech at Second Reading. In that speech, he rightly called attention to a sector of the public which is all too often passed over and ignored. He cited figures which highlight the problem. At 16, a disabled person is twice as likely to be in no employment, education or training as their nondisabled peers. At 19 years old, 27 per cent are not in any training or employment. In his letter to the noble Lord, Lord Low, the Minister reassured him that the LSC would indeed consult with disability groups and that guidance would encourage participation by disabled people. The DfES disability equality scheme also lays out past action and future plans to include disabled people at all levels. We accept that and that is fine. I am glad the Minister responded so fully to the concerns of the noble Lord. However, after consultation with the Disability Rights Commission, we feel that there would still be value in including those commitments in the Bill. Initiatives come and go, political priorities change and what one Minister may promote may not be at the top of the list of priorities for another. Many of us have seen the recent advertisements on public transport showing disabled people's difficulties in finding employment. The most moving is the face of a young man with Down’s syndrome with the caption: "““You have just looked at him for longer than any employer””." That is a poignant reminder of the obstacles disabled people must still overcome before they are given the opportunities many of us take for granted. Disabled people have a huge amount to offer society. Their inclusion not only gives them personal opportunities for development that further education is all about, but also enriches the institutions of which they are a part and enhances the experience of other students. I hope that the Minister will seriously consider these amendments and include them in the Bill, knowing, as I do, his commitment through his work on disability. Giving disabled people full access to further education should not be an initiative promoted in response to a short-term skills crisis but a long-term policy enforced in primary legislation. I beg to move.