To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of people employed by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are disabled. (153597)

Declaration of a disability is voluntary.

At the end of June 2007 there were 1,772 Home Civil Service staff employed in DFID. Of these 52 have declared a disability. This represents 2.9 per cent. of the total. Information on disability is published in DFID’s Annual Diversity Report 2006-07.

DFID is responsible for 21 appointments to two non departmental public bodies: the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the Crown Agents Holding and Realisation Board. None of the appointees consider themselves to have a disability.