Overview

This bill mandates the UK Secretary of State to present proposals within six months to halve the employment gap between disabled and non-disabled people. The proposals must detail how this will be achieved, including specific strategies for various disability groups and provisions for training and job coaching.

Description

This bill aims to significantly reduce the employment gap between disabled and non-disabled individuals. The Secretary of State must submit proposals to Parliament outlining a plan to halve this gap. These proposals must:

• Define "halving the disability employment gap".
• Detail steps to achieve this goal for working-age individuals with:
• Learning difficulties
• Autism
• Mental health problems
• Visual impairments
• Other disabilities specified by the Secretary of State via regulations (requiring parliamentary approval).
• Include provisions for training for both disabled people and employers.
• Ensure the availability of qualified job coaches for disabled people.

Before submitting proposals, the Secretary of State must consult with disabled people, their representative organisations, employers, devolved administrations, and the Greater London Authority. A review of best practices from other EU member states, the European Parliament, and the European Commission must also be conducted.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify any direct government spending figures. However, implementing the proposals to halve the disability employment gap will likely require significant investment in training programs, job coaching services, and potentially other support initiatives. The exact cost will depend on the specific proposals developed by the Secretary of State.

Groups Affected

This bill primarily impacts:

• Disabled people: The bill aims to improve their employment prospects through training, job coaching, and other support measures.
• Employers: Employers will be affected by the requirement for training to support disabled employees and potentially through changes to employment practices.
• Government: The government will be responsible for developing and implementing the proposals, incurring costs associated with the initiatives.
• Devolved Administrations: The Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish governments will be consulted and involved in implementing the proposals within their respective jurisdictions.

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