Lord Freud - Some disabled people "not worth" the minimum wage

[Salazar]

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...e-minimum-wage

http://www.itv.com/news/2014-10-15/q...rkers-comment/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29631573

"Lord Freud's comments came during a fringe meeting at the Conservative conference last month when he was asked whether it was preferable for someone with a disability, who could not get a job, to be paid less than the minimum wage - and to have their income topped up with benefits - in order to give them the experience of work and boost their self esteem.

'£2 an hour'
In response to the question, from Conservative councillor David Scott, he reportedly said there "was no system for going below the minimum wage".

But he added: "Now, there is a small… there is a group, and I know exactly who you mean, where actually as you say they're not worth the full wage and actually I'm going to go and think about that particular issue, whether there is something we can do nationally, and without distorting the whole thing, which actually if someone wants to work for £2 an hour, and it's working can we actually…"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29628557

Even looking at these comments in context, surely they are indefensible?

[talaiporia]

I think that it would be nice if the government incentivised business by subsidising wages for those who are signficantly disabled in that they would otherwise be out of work. My mum has a brain injury and was sacked as she was unable to work; she now volunteers (as an admin assistant, filing 1/2 a day and at a school as a TA in art 1/2 a day) and I think that if she can do that, although she requires a lot of supervision, she probably justfies some kind of wage. A lot of people she knows with similar situations volunteer because if a company has a choice, why would they pick someone who can't remember anything?

There's also a cafe in my hometown that hires only profoundly disabled people (all non-physical I believe) which is predominantly things like Downs, or various brain conditions, and a friend of mine works there a day a week. It really gives her a sense of independence - having her own money and working semi-independently - that she wouldn't get from benefits or even volunteering.

[The One Who]

Quote:

Originally Posted by talaiporia

I think that it would be nice if the government incentivised business by subsidising wages for those who are signficantly disabled in that they would otherwise be out of work.

Didn't they introduce a "disability confidence" thing, that was meant to do just that? It's been around for a year or so?

Remploy were, to all intents and purposes, this exact same proposal. It was a state-funded initiative to give those with disabilities jobs. Although few people seem to have a problem with the idea of Remploy.

Generally, I am against all companies that hire only one type of worker, whether they be homeless, disabled, ethnic minority, etc. It'd be nice if the job was awarded on merit.

[talaiporia]

As far as I'm aware, it was scrapped, but something along those lines did exist.

[The One Who]

Just looked, and as far as I can see, the disability confidence campaign is still a thing.

Remploy still exists too, but as a shadow of what it was.