This evening, my dear friend Birgit collected me from my Westminster office, to dine 'vegan' on the corner of Lexington and Beak street W1, followed by a trip to 'Haagen Daas' in Leicester Square for a 'Cool Summer' sorbet.
On my way, I rang my adorable son and mentioned to him that I had met Prime Minister Gordon Brown, earlier this week in his private office, within The Houses of Parliament. I informed my son that I would give him a photo of the occasion. My son's first response was to say "Congratulations!" then my response to my son asking why I was with the Prime Minister, was to inform him about the Time to Change Campaign to end mental health discrimination and that the Prime Minister had pledged his support, as has Nick Clegg MP, David Cameron MP and several other MPs. I also reminded my son that the final decision for him to be in Long Term foster care was due to my personal lived experiences of mental distress.
Once I arrived home, I found that I had received the following letter for the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA:
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Dear Ms Stewart-Williams,
Thank you for your email in support of the Time to Change campaign, aimed at ending the discrimination and stigma surrounding mental illness.
Unfortunately I was unable to attend the launch event due to prior commitments. Wednesdays are always busy for me in Parliament, and this week was no exception - in the morning I had to present my report on a Parliamentary delegation I led in Syria in January and in the afternoon I sat on three (consecutive) committees! However I will certainly look out for future initiatives.
You may be interested to know that recently I wrote to the Department for Work and Pensions to raise concerns about discrimination in employment against people with a mental illness. Please find enclosed a copy of the response.
I will endeavour to keep you informed of developments. However, if you would prefer not to receive such information then please let me know at the address above. Please do not hesitate to contact me again if I can be of any further assistance.
Yours sincerely
Rt Hon Keith Hill MP
(Attached letter)
From the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
Rt Hon Keith Hill MP
11 January 2009
Dear Keith
Thank you for your letter of 10th December 2008 on behalf of your constituent who is concerned about discrimination in employment against people with mental health illness. You will recall that your constituent has requested that provision is made in the Equality Bill to restrict the use by employers of pre-employment questionaires.
As you will be aware, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as amended, by this Government to improve and strengthen the rights of disabled people, provides protection against discrimination for people who meet the Act's definition of a disabled person in all areas of employment. Under this legislation a job applicant is not required to disclose voluntarily, at any stage of the recruitment process, that they have a disability. However, if a peroson needs a reasonable adjustment to be made during the recruitment process, because they are disabled, it may be in their interest to say so. The Act does not require an employer to make any adjustments if they cannot reasonably be expected to know that the applicant is disabled.
The Act does not prevent an employer from seeking information about a disability and some employers may require job applicants to make a formal declaration about their health or disability. However, the employer must not use this information to discriminate against the disabled person. If a disabled person considered that information about their disability was being used to discriminate against them, they would be entitled to take action to enforce their rights through and Employment Tribunal.
The Government intends to take opportunities in the Equality Bill to clarify and simplify disability discrimination legislation, but proposes to keep broadly the same level of protection from discrimination in the Equality Bill as is available in the current law. It therefore has no plans, at this time, to include a provision in the Bill to restrict the use of pre-employment questions, particularly as they can prove useful in informing the need for reasonable adjustments.
However, we recognise the particular employment challenges faced by people with mental health conditions. That is why we are taking forward a number of initiatives to tackle this issue. For example, we have asked Dame Carol Black to chair a high level Steering Group to oversee the development of the first ever National Strategy for Mental Health and Employment.
We are also improving our specialist disability employment services, which allow us to move away form a 'one size fits all' approach towards one that is more flexible, less prescriptive and which recognises the very individual needs of each customer.
We will continue to review the Pathways to Work programme for people with serious mental health conditions, and this Department, together with the Department of Health, will explore opportunities to put in place better links between health and employment interventions.
In additions, this Department is utilising its Local Employment Partnerships with employers which is opening up opportunities for our most disadvantaged customers. Through the Partnerships we are working with employers and stakeholders to develop a package of advice and support to help businesses create opportunities for people who find it harder to access the job market, which includes those with mental health conditions.
Through our Employ ability programme we are engaging with employers to improve their understanding of disability and their attitudes towards employing disabled people. The key aim of the programme is to challenge negative assumptions about the skills and talent that disabled workers and those with long-term health conditions have to offer, therefore building the confidence of employers in recruiting and retaining disabled workers. Employ ability, which is a national campaign, was launched in Wales and the South West of England on 27 October 2008 and the South East of England on 5 January.
Your constituent may be interested to know that, specifically in relation to people wit mental healt conditions or illness, Employ ability involved relevant key disability organisations during the creative development of its programme. Furthermore, on its website, Employ ability also features a number of case studies with employees with a mental health condition. These highlight real-life experiences giving both the disabled employee and their employer's side of the story. It has also completed a public information film, which promotes the benefits of employing disabled people and aims to specifically dispel the myths frequently associated with mental health. This is available to view at
www.dwp.gov.uk/employability/hospital-film.asp
On the question of the Employment Retention Private Members Bill, we agree that it is important to encourage improvements in existing in-work support mechanisms for disabled people. In our recent Welfare Reform White paper we mention that Employment Retention Assessments are a valuable tool in considering reasonable adjustments when people acquire a disability or when an existing impairment worsens. We aim to work with and support employers and employees to develope guidance and will consider, with stakeholders, how we may incorporate good practice information into the guidance and codes of practice that will accompany the Equality Bill.
Additionally, we have put in place a number of initiatives to help tackle the problem, such as the highly successful Access to Work programme, where we committed to doubling the available funding by 2014. This will enable us to expand the reach of the programme, enabling us to reassure employers, benefit claimants and people seeking help to retain their jobs, that support will be available to all those that need it.
I hope you will find the above helpful and that it will reassure your constituent that the Government is actively addressing the particular issues which can present barriers to people with mental health conditions when seeking and retaining employment.
Yours sincerely
Jonathan Shaw MP
Minister for Disabled People and Minister for the South East.
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