The Institute for Public Policy Research has called on the government to adopt a more ambitious long-term strategy for helping disabled people find work

A spokeswoman for the DWP told ePolitix.com: "The government is committed to the principle of work for those who can, support for those who can't. It makes no apology for providing well-tailored support to help individual disabled people move into, and remain in, the workplace. Through ambitious initiatives such as the New Deal for Disabled People, Access to Work and WORKSTEP, there is now real opportunity for disabled people who we know want to work but who are not currently in employment.

"In addition, we will soon be piloting new measures to help those on Incapacity Benefit back into work, including earlier support from skilled personal advisers, more coordinated rehabilitation services provided jointly with the NHS, and the incentive of a Return to Work Credit.

"And we are continuing to make major progress in terms of rights at work. We have introduced the Disability Rights Commission to make sure the Disability Discrimination Act is properly implemented and we have extended the number of employers covered by its duties. More is in the pipeline - Regulations are presently before Parliament to end the exemption of the smallest employers from the Act, and we have indicated our intention to publish a draft disability Bill later this year.

"All of these improvements together represent the most significant and far-reaching package of legislative change to protect disabled people against discrimination ever seen in this country."

Forum Response: Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

Robin Hutchinson, director of communications at Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, told ePolitix.com: "There can be little doubt that a more ambitious approach needs to be taken to ensure integrated employment.

"While much has been achieved to date there is a real need to educate employers and employment agencies about the benefits of a workforce that more adequately reflects the nations real demographic.

"It is doubtful that current approaches can make such a massive shift in opinion and approach."

Forum Response: Voice UK

Kathryn Stone, director of Voice UK, told ePolitix.com: "It's good to see that the seven-point plan starts by saying 'dispel the myths that surround disability and work'. Attitudinal changes are as, if not more, important than physical changes."

Forum Response: Disability Rights Commission

Bert Massie, chairman of the Disability Rights Commission said: "I very much welcome this report about how we can enable more disabled people to join the workforce and play an active role in the economy...all the ideas are worthy of consideration.

"The challenge is to move from talk to positive action with the support and involvement of disabled people. I am confident the report is a contribution to do just that."

Forum Response: Shaw Trust

A spokeswoman for Shaw Trust told ePolitix.com: "Shaw Trust welcomes this report from IPPR. They have highlighted the chasm that exists between the scale of social injustice faced by disabled people who want to work and the current lack of government investment in this area.

"IPPR say that their are a million disabled people in this country who want to work but who are out of work. In fact the scale of the problem is much worse than this; there are in fact 3.3 million disabled people who are of working age but not working. Nobody really knows how many of them could work, given the right opportunity and support. We believe a million is a conservative estimate.

"Shaw Trust supports the recommendations made by IPPR. Part of the problem that has scuppered government investment in this area has been the constant search for a magic formula by both JobCentre Plus and the Department for Work and Pensions. This is demonstrated by their persistence in piloting new service models rather than investing in the good services they have already developed.

"Organisations like Shaw Trust know how to make the New Deal for Disabled People work, we know how to make programmes like Workstep work. We are pleased that IPPR have recommended that existing schemes like these should be invested in rather than marginalised, as they are today."

Forum Response: The Disabilities Trust

Matt Townsend, spokesman for The Disabilities Trust, told ePolitix.com: "It is clear once again from this latest report by the IPPR, that people with disabilities continue to get a raw deal in the labour market.

"The report rightly points out that the problem is not with disabled people themselves many of whom want very much to work, but rather with the continued barriers preventing them from doing so. Focussing on eliminating these barriers must be the centrepiece of public policy in the future.

"In addition, as the report indicates, disabled people represent an increasing percentage of the working population and therefore to exclude them from employment is not only unacceptable to them but a waste of valuable talent as well."