To ask the Minister for Communities (i) to detail the work he has undertaken, and plans to undertake, with employers and industry leaders in relation to the employment of people with physical and learning disabilities, including those who had statements of special educational needs while at school; and (ii) for an update on (a) the proportion of those with physical and learning disabilities who have expressed a desire to work; and (b) the proportion of whom are currently employed.

NISRA estimates that 41.7% of people with a disability are currently in employment. Of those who are economically inactive and classified as sick or disabled, an estimated 26,000 (20% of this classification group) express that they want to work under the right circumstances.

My Department delivers a range of provision, in collaboration with many partners, to support disabled people to move closer and into employment. This includes Workable (NI), Access to Work (NI), and the Condition Management Programme; JobStart and its specialist pathway for disabled young people; our frontline Work Coaches and range of employer facing services; and provision commissioned through our Labour Market Partnerships, based on local need.

My Department has also undertaken work to develop a new Disability and Work Strategy for Northern Ireland, involving extensive co-design alongside a wide and diverse range of stakeholders, including disabled people, the voluntary and community sector, and employers and their representative bodies.