Leighton calls for sacking of Iain Duncan Smith over 'callous' Remploy remarks.

WELSH Education Minister Leighton Andrews has demanded Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith be sacked for a series of "callous" comments he made about disabled workers.

Confronted by campaigners against the closure of Remploy factories with the loss of more than 1,500 jobs, the former Tory leader said: "Is it a kindness to stick people in some factory where they are not doing any work at all? Just making cups of coffee? "I promise you this is better. Taking this decision was a balance between how much do I want to spend keeping a number of people in Remploy factories not producing stuff versus getting people into proper jobs."

Leighton When Remploy administrator Julie Haynes told the Cabinet Minister: "We work in our factories!", Mr Duncan Smith responded: "You don't produce very much at all."

Asked why the disabled were being robbed of a choice between a segregated or mainstream workplace, Mr Duncan Smith said: "How far do you want to go with the idea that you can choose to do exactly what you want?" He said he would look at any viable plan to keep open the 18 Remploy factories at risk and may extend the 90-day consultation period. But he warned: "The reality is for those that are not viable it does not make any sense at all keeping people sitting not doing anything."

Calling for Mr Duncan Smith's dismissal, Mr Andrews said: "I have visited every factory in Wales, since the Tory closure announcement, so unlike Iain Duncan Smith I actually have a clear idea of the good work that goes on in many of these factories.

"It is not just the callousness of these remarks that are shocking - I would expect little else from this Government - it's the ignorance behind the remarks that is really troubling.

"In Wales we are absolutely clear that the decision to close all Remploy factories is wrong on social grounds, and wrong on economic grounds too. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the taxpayer will end up paying out more for the Remploy workers if the factories close as they will be forced to take the dole.

Andrews AM "After making these comments, Iain Duncan Smith should be sacked. It's as simple as that."

A DWP spokesman claimed the Sunday Express, which has been running a campaign to keep the Remploy factories open and which first reported Mr Duncan Smith's comments had "deliberately misrepresented the arguments on this very important issue".

The spokesman added: "We believe that the best way to help disabled people into work is not to hide them away in factories but give them every assistance in supporting them into mainstream employment.

"Ministers and the Secretary of State are clear - the specialist employment budget is pounds 320m, a fifth of which is presently spent on loss making Remploy factories and should instead be moved into programmes like Access to Work. There will be no cut to funding.

"We appreciate that Remploy has been an important part of many disabled people's working lives and this decision was not taken lightly."

CAPTION(S):

* Leighton Andrews AM