Forum Brief: Disability discrimination

John Monks, the TUC general secretary, has criticised businesses for continuing to discriminate against disabled employees.

A TUC report says that despite legislation outlawing discrimination, Britain's companies are continuing to deny people jobs on the grounds of disability

Forum Brief: British Council of Disabled People

Andy Rickell, chief executive for the British Council of Disabled People, told ePolitix.com: "The British Council of Disabled People is pleased that the TUC has highlighted this abuse of 'health and safety' as a means to discriminate against the employment of disabled people.

"Health and safety is vital for everyone, and it should be possible for acceptable standards to be achieved which also allow the proper inclusion of disabled people. It is appalling to think that one piece of legislation which is about making environments people-friendly should be being used against a section of the community in this way."

Forum Response: Disability Rights Commission

A spokesperson for the Disability Rights Commission told ePolitix.com: "Health and safety policies are being used as a spurious means of denying disabled people a job.

"The real purpose of such policies is to ensure that everyone - including disabled people - is safe at work, not to exclude them from the workplace."