Summaries of DEAC's meetings held in 2005

Ninth meeting – London 27 January 2005

The Committee took stock of the various projects.
The draft interim report of the Black and Minority Ethnic capacity building project was discussed.
Jobcentre Plus gave a presentation about the New Deal for Disabled People successor and Building on New Deal.
Particular discussion on employer engagement - including the possibility of joint work with the National Employment Panel on activity arising from the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report on the 'Life Chances of Disabled People'; and support and advice for Small and Medium Size Enterprises

A presentation was given at the pre-meeting evening reception. The presentation looked at local initiatives to improve employment opportunities for disabled people - particularly those with mental health problems.
At the main meeting, there was a presentation and discussion on the Department for Work and Pension's Five Year Strategic Plan and Incapacity Benefit Reform.
An update was given on the employer engagement project.
There was also a presentation and discussion on mainstreaming within disability employment programmes.

At the pre-meeting evening event on Wednesday 12 October three presentations were given. The first on 'Healthy Working Lives - a plan of action', was followed by 'Pathways and Beyond', a presentation from Jobcentre Plus. Finally, 'Business Able' gave a talk on self-employment for disabled people.
During the main meeting the proposed Welfare to Work Green Paper was discussed.
Presentations from Jobcentre Plus and the Department for the Work and Pension's (DWP) Disability Employment Strategy Team updated the Committee on disability employment -particularly on Building on New Deal.
An update was given by the Employer's Forum on Disability (EFD) on the DWP/EFD 'TRIPOD' employer engagement project.
Thanks and farewell were given by the Chair and Secretary to those Members and Black and Minority Ethnic Advisers who were standing down. This was followed by an update on the recent recruitment exercise to appoint several new Members to the Committee.