While the Government has been very successful in tackling unemployment, with a million more people in work than in 1997, there is still a large number of hidden unemployed' the 2.7million people claiming incapacity benefits.

Disability benefits were used by the Conservatives in the Eighties to hide the full extent of their destruction of jobs, particularly in heavy engineering and mining areas. I am not, for one moment, suggesting that these people wrongly or fraudulently claim benefit, but many would like to work if the jobs were there and they had the necessary security and support.

The Government has just published a consultation green paper, and my Commons committee the Work and Pensions Committee has published its own inquiry report. We visited traditional areas of high unemployment, like Glasgow and south Wales, seeing organisations like Remploy, which do such excellent work helping disabled people to earn a reasonable living. We have interviewed all sorts of organisations and disabled people themselves; and I have little doubt the system is failing all too many.

Disability discrimination, despite strengthening of the law, remains a major problem, particularly for those suffering from mental illness.

I was really impressed on my visit to the Shaw Trust, which has taken over the old council plant nursery on Cool Oak Lane. It has set up a very impressive project, working with clients with learning difficulties.

Like many charities and voluntary organisations, it is helping people to respond to employers' expectations, by teaching the basic soft skills', like punctuality and how to work in a team. I have no doubt that far too many people have been written off' for years.

While there is no question of forcing people to work if they are not fit to do so, we have to do much more to help those who have the motivation to work to better their lives and overcome their disabilities. We have to provide basic security, to give the confidence necessary to take the challenging first steps. For example, by allowing a return to benefits if the job does not work out.

The different support systems are too complicated and need consolidating, so the help that is available is more easily understood.

Employer prejudice the myth that disabled employees are less reliable or more expensive must be confronted. The Access to Work scheme provides grants to employers for any necessary adaptations.

Our committee report makes 32 recommendations of things that need to be done. When we question the minister later in the year, we will expect to see real progress, because I have little doubt, if we set up the right package, we can do a lot to help disabled people better their lives.