Terry Rooney MP mentioned today

Mr. Terry Rooney MP is the Chairman of the Work & Pensions Select Committee. You can find out some more information on him by clicking here. You will be aware I have written to him in the past.

I caught this by way of an interview on BBC News 24 with Aidan Hargitt of The Royal Association for Disability & Rehabilitation.

Though he spoke in the context of Incapacity Benefit & the incoming Employment & Support Allowance.

Mr Hargitt mentioned that Terry Rooney MP spoke in the House of Commons today. He mentioned that a recent survey showed that 70% of employers would not shortlist a candidate with a history of mental health problems.

{added 14th March 2008. you can read this debate by clicking here - you need to scroll down to this point.}

He did point out that those with "invisible impariments are liable to be most affected by any political drives to get people off Incapacity Benefits. Then this is very worrying. Because a 70% figure would suggest that there are many people out there who want to work but cannot" because of this barrier.

He went on to say that mental health problems are on the increase. That employers had undertaken some actions to deal with the issues raised but there was more work to be done.

As many people in DLA also claim Incapacity Benefit I thought this was worth posting for general information purposes.

We should be encouraged by organisations within the Disabled Community. Taking every oppourtunity to raise the common issues we all face.

You might also be interested in this story from the Times Online "Whitehall cannot afford to pay for incapacity benefit tests, say Tories"

This entry is not an endorsement of any political party. I merely mention it as some may not have caught the story. If you are aware of positions taken by others please add a comment with details or email me.