Item 4 on the agenda this afternoon is a statement by the Minister for Economy and Transport on disabled people's employment. I call on the Minister for Economy and Transport, Ken Skates.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Today is the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a day designed to promote the rights of disabled people and to increase awareness of the challenges they face. However, as a Government, our role is far greater. Working with disabled people's organisations, arms of Government, the third sector and business, we must lead in the identification and removal of the barriers that disable people.

Most of these barriers are rooted in negative attitudes, the way we do things, and the built environment. We must all remember that many of these barriers are illegal, resulting in the daily discrimination faced by disabled people. To mark this day, I wish to update Members on the work this Government is doing to help disabled people overcome the barriers that they tell us that they face when seeking and maintaining employment.

We are clear on our commitment to create a more prosperous and equal Wales, pursuing equality for all. Our employability plan, published in March 2018, included a commitment to increase the number of disabled people into work. We've taken a cross-Government approach to initiate the step change necessary to remove the barriers that they are facing. Whilst I am very pleased to report that we have seen a rise in the employment rate of disabled people in Wales for the year to June 2019—an increase from 45.2 per cent to 48.6 per cent—more needs to be done if we are to achieve the UK average employment rate for disabled people.

Our cross-Government framework 'Action on Disability: The Right to Independent Living', launched by the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt AM, on 18 September, communicated our commitment to identify and challenge discriminatory employment practices; to increase the number of disabled people in work through tailored support for individuals to overcome barriers to gaining and maintaining sustainable employment; and change employer attitudes, reduce the stigma, and better support employers to recruit and retain disabled people.

We are refocusing our existing employment provision, by working collectively with partners and contractors to focus resources to drive up engagement and support more disabled people into work. It is estimated that, across Welsh Government and European social fund programmes, this could support approximately an additional 25 per cent increase over the next three years.

We've made great strides to develop bespoke employability provision to tackle barriers to employment, by supporting those at the heart of the community through our community employability programmes; supporting those who are furthest from the labour market due to significant health barriers, through our health-led employment schemes; and providing on-the-job training through programmes such as apprenticeships.

In May we launched Working Wales, our new employability advice service, which makes it easier for people to access professional advice and support, needs-based assessment and referral to job opportunities. That service, delivered by Careers Wales, has qualified careers advisors and coaches who offer professional and personalised advice and guidance to identify and overcome barriers that individuals, including disabled people, face, progressing towards employment.

Our long-term plan for health and social care, 'A Healthier Wales', sets out how we need to support people to lead healthier lifestyles. Finding employment is hugely important to this prevention-based approach, and we are ensuring that our health-led employment programmes can support more disabled people gain and sustain employment.

Today marks a year since we launched our 'Inclusive Apprenticeships' disability action plan, and we are making good progress against the actions contained within it. The latest data for 2017/18 shows that 5.6 per cent of apprentices declared themselves as disabled in comparison with only 3.4 per cent in 2013/14. By delivering the actions in the plan to remove barriers to participation, we are confident that we can see this figure increase year on year.

We are not just supporting individuals, but also businesses, to create the conditions for disabled people to thrive in work. I can confirm that disabled people's employer champions, who will work with employers across Wales to make workplaces more inclusive and better support the recruitment and retention of disabled people, will be recruited in the new year. We are also reviewing our marketing material and employer resources to dispel myths, influence and change employer attitudes, and raise awareness of wider support available to businesses when employing disabled people. Additionally, we are working in partnership with a range of organisations representing disabled people to assess options for building on the current DWP Disability Confident scheme. I'll be updating Members on this very soon.

We are also changing the nature of conversations with businesses. Business Wales, alongside its general business advice, includes advice on equality and diversity policies and practices to advise businesses on the recruitment and retention of disabled employees. This will increase awareness of opportunities for disabled people to start a business, including alternative business models such as co-operatives and social businesses. The Business Wales website will be expanded to bring together relevant information for disabled people seeking to start and grow a business, and encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs through Business Wales, enterprise hubs, Big Ideas Wales and Social Business Wales. And, in order to encourage and promote business behaviours and employment practices that go beyond the legal minimum, we are considering options to broaden and deepen the impact of the economic contract so that it further improves employers' understanding and responsibility for improving recruitment and retention of disabled workers. Certainly, at a minimum, this could include specific reference in our economic contract guidance to policies, processes and programmes that have the potential to support a more diverse workforce.

We are aware that maintaining the scope and volume of support for individuals and business may be challenging going forward, as our approach is underpinned by European funds. So, this Government repeats its clear and unambiguous position to any new UK Government: not a penny less, not a power lost if we leave the European Union.

We all know it is our societal barriers that disable people with impairments. This understanding comes from the social model of disability that we as an Assembly adopted in 2002, making Wales one of the first countries in the world to do so. Our aim is to visibly and effectively embed this model across all areas of work, including economic development and employer support, to encourage all Welsh organisations to do the same.

If we, in Wales, work together, we can end the discrimination that blights so many people’s lives. It is both our moral, and, dare I say, economic, duty to do so. 

As you stated, today is the International Day of Disabled People. The theme this year of the international day is 'the future is accessible'. In March 2013, I chaired an event here—'Towards an Enabling Wales: improving employment prospects for disabled people'—as then co-chair of the cross-party group on disability, which I chair today. In my introductory comments then, I detailed the purpose of the group: to address key pan-impairment disability equality issues, including implementation of the social model of disability and the right to independent living, emphasising that people are disabled by society, not themselves, that we must work together to tackle the barriers to access and inclusion for all, and that everyone must be allowed independence, choice and control in their lives.

In September 2013, I chaired a parallel meeting in north Wales with the theme of disability and employment. In March 2017, I sponsored and spoke at the Engage to Change project event in the Assembly. Led by Learning Disability Wales, the project was funded for five years by the Big Lottery Fund in partnership with the Welsh Government to support 1,000 young people in Wales with a learning disability, learning difficulty and/or autism spectrum condition to gain employability skills and find sustainable employment. There's no reference to this excellent project in your statement, and I'd be grateful if, either now or subsequently, you could provide progress on that, particularly as it's designed to embed sustainability from the end of that project.

As you say, many of the barriers that disabled people face are illegal. We have in Wales, as in the UK, under the Equality Act 2010, a public sector equality duty, and regrettably, I still find, when representing disabled constituents with public bodies, they rarely, if ever, volunteer the existence of the duty until I make them aware of it. And that has also applied to employment or disabled people seeking to negotiate perhaps the planning process for self-employment purposes. So, how can we give that a greater push, not to make local authorities and others feel this is an imposition, but an opportunity to make things work better for everybody, improve lives and ultimately reduce pressure on statutory services?

As you say, more needs to be done to reach the UK average employment rate for disabled people, where the figure is 48.6 per cent in Wales. But, in terms of autism, National Autistic Society research in 2016 found that only 16 per cent of working-age autistic people were in full-time employment. That had flatlined for a decade, and the figure was believed to be even lower in Wales. So, how do you propose to focus not only on the general disability rights agenda, in terms of employment, but on the disparity that exists across different conditions, and also the disability pay gap, which in Wales remains, I believe, at 9.9 per cent between disabled and non-disabled people?

You state you're exploring opportunities to provide disabled people's employer champions. In fact, at the cross-party autism group meeting I chaired in Prestatyn on 18 October, Ben Morris from NEWCIS, which you may well know—the North East Wales Carers Information Service—discussed his work supporting carers and autistic people to find work, as well as his own experiences as an autistic person in the workplace. And he said that, while autism awareness is increasing, the number of autistic people in the workplace was not. He said he'd worked with employers to help them realise that their responsibility to make reasonable adjustments doesn't just begin when they hire someone, but that they're missing out on hiring lots of qualified autistic and disabled people because they don't make adjustments in their recruitment process. And he said his work also involves helping employers to understand the qualities of autistic and disabled employees and the value of having a diverse workforce. So, in driving that agenda forward, do you agree that the champions that you propose should have lived and/or direct experience rather than be well-meaning people, but people who do not have that key added asset?

You state that assessing options to build on the current DWP Disability Confident scheme—or you are assessing options to build on that, and changing the nature of conversations with business. Of course, the UK DWP Disability Confident scheme helps employers make the most of opportunities provided by employing disabled people, it's voluntary, and has been developed by employers and representatives of disabled people. They're working with employers through Disability Confident to ensure disabled people and those with long-term health conditions have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations. And I've met some incredible DWP officers working on this programme in Wales—most recently only a couple of weeks ago. How are you ensuring that you will complement rather than replicate this work, and ensure that, together, you're adding value rather than doing the same thing?

Similarly, you refer to the Working Wales employability advice service. Speaking here last year, after visiting Remploy in Wrexham to discuss their launch of the UK Government employment support programme, the Work and Health Programme, in Wales, I stated the Welsh Government must therefore provide assurance that its new employability programme adds to rather than replicates that programme also. And I wonder if you could confirm how you're ensuring that, by working in partnership in the way you describe, you're working with the complementary DWP programme. Similarly, the Access to Work programme—

[Inaudible.] Finally, thank you.

—I'm conscious that's even supported my own daughter in work.

And finally, if I may—one final question.

One final—. Yes, that's fine.

How are you working with key third sector bodies that are also working with the DWP, such as the Autism Directory in Treforest, working with the DWP on an autism employment programme, and Oxfam Cymru, working with the DWP on embedding their sustainable livelihood approach to equip DWP staff with the skills needed to deliver person-centred service, moving away from short-term fixes that trap individuals in a revolving door of being in and out of work and therefore poverty? Diolch.

Can I thank Mark Isherwood for his incredibly constructive comments, and also for his questions, and recognise the dedication that he's given to this particular agenda over many years? I think that Mark Isherwood would agree that we all wish to ensure that all disabled people have the same freedom and dignity and choice and control as everybody else in society, whether it be at home, in work, in education or in the community. Mark Isherwood has raised the question of how we can support business and promote responsible employment practices across the business community more. 

I'd like to just highlight the fact, Dirprwy Lywydd, at this point, that there is a range of evidence that shows why businesses should employ disabled people. For example, disabled employees are, frankly, more likely to stay in a job for longer and also have less sickness absence. Research has also found that they're more likely to approach problems creatively and accomplish different tasks in new and innovative ways. So, employers need to tap into the talent of disabled people and take positive steps in diversifying their workforce. 

Mark Isherwood raises a number of very important points, including the performance of employability programmes to date, the need for local authorities to recognise the duty applies to them, the role that the disability champions could have in the future, the disability pay gap as well and how we're going to be seeking to reduce that, and also liaison with DWP and the third sector. 

I'm going to try to get through all of these important points. To begin, though, with the first question that was raised, that being how we can ensure that disabled people have the right to independent living, well I would refer to the 'Action on Disability: The Right to Independent Living' report, which was launched by the Deputy Minister and contains a series of actions for ensuring that there is independent living provision and support available to all people. 

In terms of employability performance to date, the Member referred to a specific project that I will happily update Members on. We know that the outcomes through employability programmes to date have been impressive. We know that, since 2014, for example, the current round of ESF programmes have supported more than 16,000 individuals into employment, and around 16 per cent of these have declared a disability.

In terms of our Communities for Work programme, 1,843 disabled people have been supported into employment since May 2015. Communities for Work Plus has supported over 4,250 into employment since its launch in April 2018, and 2,264 of participants to date are disabled or have a work-limiting health condition. And, in terms of the traineeship programme that is operated, 750 young people who have declared themselves disabled have entered work. 

We will be improving performance, we will be refocusing and reprioritising ESF spend—European funding that we expect to have replicated in full, if we leave the EU, by the UK Government—and in so doing it is our aim to create opportunities for another 25 per cent of people who face disabling factors in their lives. 

Mark Isherwood I think supports the principle of appointing disability champions across Wales. This is something the Deputy Minister is keen to make firm progress with, and we'll be announcing more regarding this scheme in the new year, but I can assure the Member today that those champions will have personally lived and experienced disabling factors in their lives, to bring the insight that is so important that the Member himself recognises. 

Mark Isherwood also pointed to the disability pay gap that exists within Wales and currently stands at 9.9 per cent. That pay gap is unacceptable. It is, however, lower than the UK as a whole, which currently stands at 12.2 per cent. Wales was the fifth smallest of the 12 countries and regions of the UK in 2018 in terms of the pay gap. In order to further reduce that gap and in order to reduce the employment gap between the Welsh average and the UK average, we have a number of new interventions that will be fully exploited, including work on the social partnership Bill, including a considerable amount of work that's already been undertaken in terms of fair work and embedding the principles of fair work and through rolling out further the economic contract that I mentioned in my statement.

With regard to engagement and liaison, engagement with the third sector is at the heart of everything that we do with regard to supporting people who face disabling factors in their lives. And in terms of engagement with the DWP, I am pleased with the degree of collaboration that takes place between Welsh Government and the DWP, whether that be ensuring that Disability Confident is aligned and is fully recognising additional support that is available from Welsh Government employability programmes or the Access to Work programme, which is vitally important, in my view, and is featured on the Business Wales site. It's featured there in order to signpost individuals and employers to funding that can help to pay for a range of support, including any adaptations to the working environment, to special equipment and support workers and support mental health provision.

In terms of ensuring that we further align DWP interventions and Welsh Government interventions and specifically with regard to Disability Confident, we are currently undertaking policy work to consider how we'll meet the action within the Welsh Government's new framework, 'Action on Disability: the right to independent living', regarding developing a Welsh disability award scheme for employers, which might either build on the Disability Confident scheme or be a new scheme to encourage employers to aspire to be more supportive of disabled people. And in considering the specific needs recognised for Wales and how a Welsh disability award scheme would work, and aligned with Disability Confident officials, we'll be meeting with a number of stakeholders in the sector, including the third sector, to seek their views on this important matter.

Can I thank the Minister for his statement on disabled people's employment? As he says, today's the United Nations' international day for disabled people, a day designed to promote the rights of disabled people and increase awareness of the challenges they face. So, it's a moot point. 

Can I first of all support many of the issues that Mark Isherwood has just raised? As the first ever chair of the cross-party group on autism in the Senedd—or of the Cynulliad as it then was, 17 years ago—employability issues amongst the autism community were a large issue then. They remain so. So, if we can keep that on your timetable, that would be excellent.

And also, as the current chair of the cross-party group on deaf issues, I've got a couple of challenges from the deaf community as well. Because, as you've said today, Minister, disabled people, including, plainly, those who are deaf have long faced barriers in accessing employment. It is encouraging, as you say in your statement, that the Welsh Government is seeking to improve this situation, for example, through your inclusive apprenticeships disability action plan, and people like that. However, ensuring that disabled young people have access to appropriate careers advice so that they can understand their rights, including their right to adaptations in the workplace and the access to work fund, all of that is also crucial in tackling these barriers. That is why myself and the National Deaf Children's Society are concerned that the draft additional learning needs code of practice published by the Welsh Government earlier this year outlined a significantly reduced duty on the provision of specialist careers advice for learners with an additional learning need. Now, I appreciate cross-portfolio issues here, but we are talking employability and, obviously, learning, education and careers are very much part of that spectrum. So, can I ask the Minister to outline whether there's been further consideration on duties around specialist careers advice within the ALN code, and has he been privy to such discussions?

In addition, I am mindful of the current review of the national curriculum. Whilst the draft curriculum does place an emphasis on careers, it would be helpful for there to be a specific focus on ensuring that disabled young people are aware of their employment rights. This is another cross-portfolio issue, but you can never discuss disabled people's employment in strict isolation. So, can I ask what discussions the Minister is having on these issues with ministerial colleagues so that careers advice, employment advice is tailored towards disabled young people? Diolch yn fawr.

Thank you. Minister.

Can I also thank Dai Lloyd today for his contribution and the very, very keen interest and commitment that he has shown to this important area of policy concern for Welsh Government? I'm sure that Dai Lloyd also believes, as I do, that equality of outcome for everyone sits at the heart of everything that we do, and should do, and that our ambitions for Welsh society are ambitions rooted in equality and equality of opportunity for all.

I think it's fair to say, in reflecting on the leadership role that Dai Lloyd himself has taken in this field in recent years, that whilst Welsh Government can provide national leadership, and politicians in this Chamber can provide national leadership, action at a local level is absolutely essential to really make a difference for individuals in their day-to-day lives. And action at a local level can include the sort of advice that Careers Wales and schools themselves are able to offer young learners.

Dai Lloyd has raised principally three important points. One: 'Action on disability', the framework and the plan, with specific regard to people who are deaf. Secondly, the role that Careers Wales has in offering one-to-one advice and support to individuals. And then thirdly, Dai Lloyd also referenced the 'Inclusive Apprenticeships: Disability Action Plan for Apprenticeships 2018-21', which is something that is making a considerable difference in terms of creating opportunities. And that's shown in the latest figures, which, for 2017-18, demonstrates that around 6 per cent of learners on apprenticeship learning programmes self-identified as having a primary disability and/or a learning difficulty, and that proportion has increased year on year since 2012-13. Back in 2012, the figure was something in the order of 3 per cent, so it's doubled in the space of five or so years.

Dirprwy Lywydd, I'll commit today to publish in February of next year the official statistics that will reflect on 2018-19, and it's my hope, it's my belief, as well, that those figures will show further improvement. And I think it's fair to say, as a result of the hard work that's been undertaken to date, we are making excellent progress on the plan, but we should not take our foot off the gas, and we will ensure that that plan continues to be delivered. 

In terms of 'Action on disability', well, the framework requires us to work towards removing barriers that prevent not only people from getting into work, but also prevent people from remaining in work—not only physical obstacles in buildings, in towns and the countryside, but also, importantly, the hurdles and the blockages created by structures and organisations' policies and, indeed—and probably most important of all—people's attitudes. And the framework is accompanied by an action plan. That highlights the main actions currently being undertaken or led by Welsh Government, and is designed to be kept up to date to reflect changing circumstances and new developments. And I would be more than happy to engage with Dai Lloyd with regard to support that can be offered to individuals who are deaf.

Turning to the role that Careers Wales has in offering support, and, in particular, advice to learners, within the existing resources—and Dai Lloyd questioned the resource available through Careers Wales—we have approximately 30 full-time equivalent staff who are dedicated specifically to working with customers with ALN and their families. Support to this particular customer group includes face-to-face support through group work and careers interviews. It draws up learning and skills plans for individuals and their families, and it also offers support at transition points, and also advocacy.

In terms of the outcomes, as a consequence of the advice and support that is offered, the latest statistics show that 3,365 transition reviews were undertaken by careers advisers and that they agreed just over 1,000 learning and skills plans for those moving from school, identifying the education and training needs of young people and the support required to meet those needs. I hope that these figures, including those figures concerning inclusive apprenticeships, demonstrate that we are making progress. But ultimately, Dirprwy Lywydd, if we are to reduce the gap in terms of pay and the gap in employment rates between the UK and Wales, we need to redouble our efforts.

If you have a disability, you are more likely to be unemployed, and if you're in employment, you're more likely to be on the minimum wage. That's the reality for people with disabilities in Wales today. Whilst there are organisations like Barod—a community interest company based in Swansea, specialising in innovative training and information, where the owners and the workforce are an equal mix of disabled and non-disabled people, who specialise in bridging the gap between public and private sector organisations and people with learning disabilities—there are nowhere near enough companies of this type in order to get people with learning disabilities into employment.

I'm old enough to remember when we used to have the green-card system. Companies were expected to employ a certain proportion of people with green cards and the percentage was reported. This disappeared, unfortunately, with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, and I think that's done far more harm than it's actually done good, because then, you could hold employers to account. At the moment, it's very difficult to hold employers to account.

I've got one further comment and two questions. We talk about disability as if it's one thing. There's a whole range of disabilities of varying degrees and problems for the people suffering from them. There are people who have very minor disabilities, who you wouldn't know were disabled if you saw them walking down the street, except that they might be walking a little slowly, to those who have very serious disabilities and multiple disabilities. So, I think we do tend to talk about disabled people as if they were one amorphous mass; they're not, they're a group of people with entirely different problems and different needs.

Dai Lloyd mentioned the deaf community. My sister is profoundly deaf, which I've mentioned on more than one occasion in here, and it's incredibly difficult. An employer gets around any Act by saying 'the ability to answer the telephone.' That excludes anybody who is profoundly deaf. Many people would describe it as not an unreasonable thing to expect somebody to be able to do, but once you put that in, you exclude anybody who is deaf from working there. 

I've got two questions. What's the Welsh Government going to do to promote the employment of people with disabilities in Welsh Government, and, more importantly, in Welsh Government-funded bodies? That's something you've got direct control over, and you've also got direct control over those bodies you fund. He who pays the piper calls the tune. Although, he who gives the funding to an organisation can give them instructions.

What more can be done to support organisations such as Barod, who are doing such a good job in treating people with disabilities and those who haven't as exactly the same? One of the problems we have is that, too often, we treat them differently. They may have a disability, but they must be treated and should be treated the same. So, what can we do to help organisations like that?

Can I thank Mike Hedges for his comments and his questions? He was right to say that disabled people are more likely to be unemployed, and that disabled people, if they are in employment, are more likely to be underpaid. Therefore, as a consequence, it is clear that disabled people are more likely to be living in poverty in this modern age, and that is morally unacceptable.

The Welsh Government is absolutely determined to ensure that the people of Wales have opportunities to secure employment and then to progress in their careers. It is a priority for this Government that every single person should have the opportunity to work. Mike Hedges referenced the fact that people who are looking for work are absolutely determined to secure decent, well-paid opportunities. The evidence that demonstrates that people who face disabling factors are determined to work is very, very clear indeed, Dirprwy Lywydd. We know that disabled people account for around about 45 per cent of the economically inactive group within Wales today, and that a third of unemployed people in Wales are facing disabling factors. Approximately 49,000 economically inactive disabled people are either seeking work or are not actively seeking work but would like to work. That means that over 50 per cent of economically inactive people who face disabling barriers are either seeking work or would like to work. That accounts for around about 90,000 people in our country.

In order to achieve the target of closing the gap in terms of employment between the UK and Wales for disabled people, we would have to find opportunities for at least 16,000 people. Clearly, Dirprwy Lywydd, the determination of people to find work, their desire to find work, shows that finding 16,000 people who wish to get into the workplace will not be a problem. The challenge is in ensuring that businesses make those opportunities available to people who face disabling factors.

We work with Business Wales in advising entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized enterprises on how they can remove barriers for people. We are also working with numerous stakeholders and, through the action on disability framework, we have outlined a number of ambitious plans for how we can improve opportunities for individuals through our major and smaller employers in the country.

In terms of the specific question that Mike Hedges raises about what the Welsh Government can do and also, very importantly, what those funded bodies that rely on Welsh Government resource can do, I'm pleased to inform Members today that the economic contract is to be extended to a significant number of Welsh Government-funded bodies, to ensure that those funded bodies drive inclusive growth and embrace the fair work agenda, which is at the very heart of the economic contract, and, in so doing, create more opportunities for disabled people to get employment within their organisations.

Can I thank the Cabinet Minister for his statement, which acknowledges the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities? I think that it's true to say that we all share concerns on how we treat our fellow citizens who find themselves unable, through disabilities, to find work. But I may say at this juncture that it seems to be the case that employers do not share the same level of public service that was once prevalent towards those in our society who have a disability. I have to say that there are some of us who regret the demise of many of the Remploy units, which were criticised for segregating disabled people but at least gave them the dignity of good, long-term work in good conditions.

However, it is gratifying to read in the report that Business Wales is working with employers, not only to raise their awareness of those with disabilities but also to disabuse them of their often negative attitudes towards the abilities of disabled people, rather than their disabilities. I also acknowledge the work Careers Wales is doing at a critical time in the lives of young disabled people, and their interventions are coming at that critical time, which are to be very much welcomed.

One aspect not mentioned in your report is the ability of disabled people to actually get to the various places of employment. Given that transport has traditionally been a barrier to the disabled obtaining work, the great improvements to transport with regard to access for the disabled, either already in place or to be put in place over the next few years, should have the effect of, if not eliminating those barriers completely, making them far less obstructive. These improvements, not only of the transport itself, in the shape of a step change in accessibility to buses and trains, but also to the stations, for both modes of transport, should make a dramatic difference in the ability of the disabled to access all sorts of working placements.

Surely it is incumbent on all of us in this Assembly to address the issue of unemployment of the disabled in our community. They should not be looked on as a drain on society, but a huge resource of untapped talent. It cannot be right that, as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report 'Poverty in Wales 2018' pointed out, 39 per cent of disabled people in Wales are in poverty, compared with 22 per cent of non-disabled people, and that the poverty rate among disabled people in Wales is the highest in all of the UK. You yourself, Minister, once declared that these figures were a national disgrace. Yet, despite decades of laudable legislation designed to tackle discrimination against disabled people, the overwhelming experience for many is a life of poverty, exclusion and barriers to opportunity. I accept that your report acknowledges these failings, and look forward to them being addressed—no, aggressively addressed—over the coming years.

Dirprwy Lywydd, can I thank David Rowlands for his comments? I share his view that the demise of Remploy units was extremely disappointing and disadvantaged many, many people indeed. Can I also thank David Rowlands for recognising the good work that is taking place by Business Wales and Careers Wales?

The Member rightly identified the need to improve access to employment, and that includes transportation, as a consequence of £800 million of investment in rolling stock. Under the new Wales and borders franchise agreement we will see new trains—half of which will be built in Wales—offering access for all, and I'm also pleased to say that as a consequence of our investment in the south Wales metro, all stations within the metro will be step-free. Almost £200 million is being spent on stations across the Wales and borders route network, and, again, we will see a considerable sum of money invested in ensuring that as many stations as possible are step-free.

I think also, in terms of the future of the bus industry—and I'll be introducing legislation in the new year—and alongside the reforms that we wish to make to the way that local bus services are managed and planned, we also have ambitious plans for replacing the fleet of 2,300 buses in Wales with zero-emissions vehicles and vehicles that offer, again, access to all people who until now have often faced disabling barriers. So, in terms of transport, we are most certainly moving in the right direction, and we are doing it at maximum pace.

David Rowlands noted what I touched on earlier, which was that there is a huge untapped talent pool that should be embraced by businesses. I've already outlined the research that has been undertaken and which shows that disabled employees are more likely to stay in a job for longer and have less sickness absence, but it's also the case that disabled people have huge, huge opportunities now to start and grow their own business, with the support that is offered by Business Wales. I should highlight to Members, so that they are able to disseminate this information to their constituents, that a participation fund exists within Business Wales's service, and that's available to pay for any additional support disabled people are faced with, to help them overcome the barriers to participating in business start-up activities, and this is in addition to the standard business-planning modules that are available face-to-face or online.

Thank you very much, Minister.