3. What discussions has the Minister had with Ministerial colleagues about promoting the rights of disabled people? OQ58115

I continue to discuss with my ministerial colleagues our shared commitment to strengthening the rights of disabled people. Our work is underpinned by the social model of disability and the disability taskforce established to respond to the 'Locked Out' report to address the barriers and inequalities that disabled people face.

Thank you, Minister. I wish to return to a subject that I recently raised during a business statement here in the Chamber. Too many disabled people still face difficulties and disparities in the workplace. According to the research published in April last year, 52.3 per cent of disabled people are in employment; this compares to 82 per cent of the able-bodied population. In Wales, the disability pay gap is a staggering 18 per cent, with disabled women most affected, earning on average 36 per cent less than their non-disabled counterparts. Do you agree with me, Minister, that employing disabled workers can bring great benefits to businesses in Wales? What discussions have you personally had with your colleagues in Government about how to encourage employers not to overlook skilled workers just because they have a disability?

Thank you so much for that question, Natasha Asghar, because this is the key aim of our disabled people's employment champions—we've got a new network who help raise awareness amongst employers of flexible working opportunities. They are disabled people who are leading the way; they've established a strong network of employers, but also, they are showing that attitudinal changes can be made with employers to recognise the benefits of employing disabled people. But I would also like to say that I really welcome the fact that you acknowledge that there is a disability pay gap, and so, that's one of our national milestones. We look at gender, race and disability pay gaps, and that's a national milestone that we've agreed and the Senedd has agreed. But also, we now have a disability equality evidence unit as part of our equality evidence unit to look at these issues. So, we will be looking at it across the board, and, indeed, this is crucial to our economic contract with employers.

Minister, you deserve immense credit for pursuing the establishment of disabled people's employment champions in the previous Senedd term; they're proving to be invaluable for many, many thousands of people here in Wales. What sort of assessment would you make of the rights of disabled people and the well-being of disabled people since 2010, as a result of UK Government measures? Here in Wales, what sort of use do you think that we can make of social partnership, and, as you've mentioned, the economic contract, in providing as many work opportunities as possible for people who face disabling barriers?

Thank you very much, Ken Skates, and can I thank you for the support that you gave in your former role, not just for the network of disabled employment ambassadors, supported by the economy Minister, but also for developing that crucial economic contract, which, actually, in terms of the four pillars, includes fair work? It does include the requirement for a business to demonstrate what they're doing to ensure an equal and diverse workplace. So, I do believe we're ahead in Wales in terms of taking these policy initiatives. But I just also would say we published earlier this year 'Smarter working: a remote working strategy for Wales'. This is very much about fair work and social partnership, setting out the ways in which we can encourage remote working with the public sector playing a leadership role. But this gives more opportunity and also greater flexibility for some disabled people—women also, those with caring responsibilities—but it does need a good dialogue and trusted dialogue between employer and worker. So, I would say social partnership is essential to that.