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.