Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Housing and Local Government – in the Senedd at 2:36 pm on 17 July 2019.

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Photo of Julie James Julie James Labour 2:36, 17 July 2019

Yes, it's a very important point. I too have had the real pleasure of working with some of the young people who work with Leonard Cheshire, including last year, in my previous portfolio, meeting with a young man who I very seriously hope to see here amongst us very shortly, who told me that his ambition to be a politician was thwarted by his use of a wheelchair. And I went to some great length to explain to him that, on the contrary, it was a real benefit, and would be a real boon to us as decision makers to have a young person such as him in our number. So, I really do hope, if he's listening, that he's continuing to pursue that. So, I completely agree with what you say.

There are a number of things that we're doing through the fair work agenda, but actually across the Government in other ways as well. Many of the things you mentioned are not directly in my portfolio, but I work closely with my colleague the Deputy Minister on some of those matters, around making sure that our employers become disability-inclusive employers, that they are aware of and make the right kinds of reasonable adjustments for people, and that disabled people—of any sort, whatever their disability—do not face additional hurdles, but actually have a workplace levelled out, so that they do not have to jump through any hoops, but that those hoops are removed for them. And we will be looking, as part of our fair work agenda, through the economic contract and otherwise, to reward companies that step up to that plate, and to make sure that, through our trade union colleagues and through our social partnership working, we drive the kind of culture and behaviours that encourage and reward good employers to come forward, and make sure that they do that in that way.

We're also looking, through the Parents, Childcare and Employment scheme and other mechanisms, at a whole series of other interventions across the economy portfolio and my colleague the Chief Whip's disabilities and equalities portfolios to make sure that we make sure that the employers themselves are aware of the assistance that they can get in making those reasonable adjustments, and that they regard the people who are applying to them who do have a disability as an asset and not as a problem. Because I do think that that cultural shift is really important, so that people can see the talent in front of them, and not just the wheelchair or the disability. So, I think I'm largely agreeing with what you're saying. I'm more than happy to look at any other suggestions that either Leonard Cheshire or you, Mark, want to put forward.