Tailored support not negative stereotypes needed to help disabled people - Burstow and Brake

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 18th Oct 2005

Following the much trailed comments in the national press about how David Blunkett, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions wants people on incapacity benefits to stop watching daytime TV, get on their bikes and get a job, Local MPs Paul Burstow and Tom Brake have called for a word of caution in defence of the 5,500 people claiming incapacity benefits across the London Borough of Sutton.

Sutton and Cheam MP Paul Burstow said:

"It is a pity that all the hard work of local disability employment advisers and jobcentre plus staff is being damaged by a Secretary of State who seems more interested in courting dramatic media headlines that denigrate and stereotype many incapacity benefit recipients instead of proposing effective measures to help those people back into work.

"There are over five thousand people claiming incapacity benefits in the London Borough of Sutton and very many of them will be more than willing to get the help and support they need to get a suitable job. Recent research shows that where there is individually targeted help and support, disabled people can be helped back into work. It also shows that in most cases the support available is very much appreciated."

Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, added:

"I shall be pressing the Government to ensure that there is genuine investment in high quality support and advice across the whole country. And I shall be critical when Government ministers conduct the debate around welfare reform in such negative terms that they risk undermining the prospects for real reform.

"It would have been better if Mr Blunkett had also taken the opportunity to publicise the Access to Work programme which helps employers make a variety of adjustments in the workplace when they have employees with disabilities. This is a good scheme so it is a scandal that three quarters of small firms know nothing about it."

ENDS