To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of officers in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively, and overall in his Department are registered disabled people.

Of the total Home Office work force some 0.4 per cent. are registered disabled persons, two members of whom are in grades 1 to 7 or equivalent, representing 0.27 per cent. of staff in those grades. We have no record of the number of staff with disabilities who have chosen not to register. Specific targets have been set to increase the numbers of staff with disabilities employed in my Department. A departmental working group keeps the position under review and has taken a number of initiatives to promote policies and improve practices.