Statement by the Minister for Education and Skills

A new scheme to help find employment for unemployed Remploy workers has been announced by the Minister for Education and Skills, Leighton Andrews.

The announcement comes following the UK government's decision to close factories employing disabled people at Aberdare, Abertillery, Merthyr, Swansea and Wrexham which will result in the loss of 189 jobs.

Mr Andrews explained that Welsh government would be offering an Employer Support Grant for up to four years to encourage and support employers to offer employment in Wales to eligible disabled Remploy workers.

The £2.4 scheme will contribute to the costs of wages and also pay companies for all other reasonable costs that may arise from employing a disabled person such as workplace modification.

It will cover former disabled Remploy employees who lost their jobs in the wake of the UK Government-driven closures of Remploy factories in 2012.

The announcement was welcomed by Plaid Cymru equal opportunity spokesperson Lindsay Whittle and Liberal Democrat AM Peter Black.

Mark Ishwerwood, Conservative spokesperson on Social Justice, used his response time to outline the UK government's support to disabled workers.

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