I can indeed confirm that people with disabilities will be given preferential access to the employment action programme, and that they will not need a qualifying period of unemployment. Indeed, people with disabilities have generally been given higher priority on the Government's training schemes for some months now and, for the first time, have been part of the aim group.

On the second point, my hon. Friend is absolutely right. It was disgraceful that the Trades Union Congress should boycott employment action and turn its back on those unemployed people to whom this Government are giving hope.