12 December 2008 – Fresh batch of experience boosts work of disability committee

The Disability Employment Advisory Committee (DEAC), which provides advice to Government on the best ways to tackle barriers to employment for disabled people, has announced their new set of members who will now be in office for the next three years.

Six new, two existing members and one special advisor on Trade Union issues have been appointed to the Disability Employment Advisory Committee (DEAC) to take forward its work during its third term.

Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Disabled People, welcomes the appointments who start their 3-year term of appointment on 1st January:

‘’DEAC has made a great contribution in advising the Government in supporting disabled people to obtain and remain in work.

“As we build on this progress and take forward our welfare reform agenda, DEAC will continue to have an important role to play. I welcome the fresh Committee and look forward to working with members to take this ambitious programme forward. 

“I would also like to thank the members whose tenure on the Committee is ending, they have all played an important role by advising on the wide-range of reforms that the Government have introduced over the past few years.  Their knowledge has been highly valued by both Ministers and officials.”

DEAC Chair, Elaine Noad, also welcomed the new members who join as the Committee begins its seventh year of existence:

“With disability employment now top of the welfare to work agenda, this is an exciting time to be joining DEAC. I am very pleased to welcome our new members who will add to the diversity of perspectives, expertise and experience that the Committee can contribute to the development of disability employment policy.  I am also grateful to the six members whose term on the Committee has ended; I have valued their expert knowledge and understanding of the issues that some disabled people face when entering or retaining employment.”

Notes for Editors

1. The Disability Employment Advisory Committee was established six years ago. It offers Ministers and officials strategic advice on the employment of disabled people; the labour market barriers across Great Britain that disabled people face; develops recommendations on the support required to overcome these barriers; and provides advice in confidence on the effectiveness of labour market policies including specialist and mainstream programmes, retention and rehabilitation measures, and employment advice for disabled people.
2. DEAC is a Non Departmental Public Body, reporting directly to the Minister for Disabled People on disability/impairment employment issues.
3. The appointments announced today follow the successful conclusion of a public appointments exercise.  43 applicants were received.
4. The nine DEAC appointments will be for a period of three years. The posts are voluntary but an amount for loss of earnings is paid, where appropriate, along with all reasonable and proper expenses.
5. Members are appointed on their own merits.
6. The new members are:
   • Stephen Cairns - Director of Employment and Response Services for  Scope.
   • Agnes Fletcher - a freelance consultant who has worked for the  Employers’ Forum on Disability , the ODI, the RNIB and is a former Director with the Disability Rights Commission
   • Adam Gaines - Director of  Prostate Scotland and a former Director (Scotland) with the Disability Rights Commission
   • Deborah Parker - Chief Executive Officer of  Progress Recruitment Ltd
   • Niccola Swan - Non-Executive Director of  Leeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust  
   • Liz Sutherland - a recent policy adviser on disability and age at the  Equality Challenge Unit, London
7. Also, Peter Purton (Disability/LGBT Policy Advisor at the Trade Union Congress) will advise the Committee on Trade Union matters in relation to the employment of disabled people.
8. The six DEAC members who have completed term of appointment and are now leaving DEAC, the people leaving DEAC have provided the following quotations about their tenure:
   • Steve Alexander - Chief Executive of the PreSchool Learning Alliance: “DEAC has become an invaluable advisory group to DWP and over the last six years has made a significant impact on policy and practice in disability employment.  I am sorry to leave but want new people to ‘pick up the baton’ and ensure DEAC with others proactively improves employment choices and opportunities for disabled people”.
   • Rosie Hallam - Freelance consultant in Mental Health and Social Welfare: “As someone who has spent many years trying to improve Mental Health employment services at local, county and regional levels, being a member of DEAC has afforded me the opportunity to be part of a National group that is continuing this work where it matters most. It has presented a fantastic opportunity to work with a group of incredibly well-informed and dedicated people, and I have been  encouraged to see the current focus on improving Mental Health employment services and feel a real part of them.  "    
   • Diana Holland OBE - National Organiser for the Transport and General Workers Union, Women, Race and Equalities Sector. “ It has been an honour to be part of DEAC and also an informative and constructive experience, which has significantly benefited the Government’s policy towards disabled people. “
   • Marilyn Howard - Analyst and policy worker for the Disability Rights Commission and the ODI: “ DEAC's work has helped to shape the successful Pathways to Work pilots from the outset, and it has been a pleasure to work with officials and other DEAC members on this important and groundbreaking policy agenda.”
   • Eddie Lynch - Chief Executive of Bromley Mencap: “DEAC has played a key role in helping to shape the disability employment agenda at strategic and ministerial level by providing high quality, independent and timely advice. As a Member for 6 years I have been able to influence policy with a focus on people with learning disabilities who face the greatest barriers to access mainstream employment. It has been great to see this reflected from national to local level.”
   • Stephen Parr MBE - Director of Sabre & Associates: “My time at DEAC has given me a unique opportunity to contribute to strategic Government thinking at such a critical period in the evolution of the employment discussion as it affects people with disabilities. It has also provided an insight into how hard the Government and its officials work to improve opportunities and how committed the Government has been and remains to the full inclusion agenda. I would like to thank Ministers, Officials and my esteemed DEAC colleagues for helping me to make my 6 years as a DEAC member so memorable, enjoyable and certainly  invaluable to me personally and I hope in return that my contribution has been of value to the wider discussions.”
9. The two reappointed DEAC members are: 
   • Mark Deal – Manager of Employment Training at Enham
   • Lorraine Gradwell – Chief Executive of Breakthrough UK Ltd
10. The DEAC members staying on for a second term are:
    • Cheryl Cullen- Employment Training Skills Manager for the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID)
    • Tim Cooper - MD of the Work and Independence Division, Shaw Trust Ltd
    • Catherine Graham – Former Chair of the Scottish Union for Supported Employment (SUSE)
    • Asif Iqbal - Media/Project Manager for Deaf Parenting UK and former Trustee for UK Council on Deafness.
    • Christine Jess - Equal Access to Employment Strategy Manager across the Public and Private sectors in Glasgow
    • Dr Rachel Perkins - Director of Quality Assurance and User Carer experience at the St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust

The new appointments bring the external membership to fifteen, including Chair-  Elaine Noad. 
Elaine Noad continues as Chair of DEAC. Prior to the appointment of chair of DEAC, she was a senior social work manager in local government and was seconded to the Scottish Government. She was also a commissioner with the Disablity Rights Commission until September 2007. She is a member of the Parole Board for Scotland and a non executive director of the  Health and Justice audit committees for the Scottish Government and a volunteer committee member for Sanctuary Housing Association (Scotland).

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