CHANCELLOR Philip Hammond has come under heavy fire in Cumbria after claiming more working disabled people has hit productivity.

He has caused a storm by suggesting that in increase in the share of disabled people in the working population was a factor in a national fall in productivity.

He made the comments during a Treasury select committee hearing last week - attracting condemnation from disabled rights campaigners nationally.

Disabled people and those who lobby on their behalf in Cumbria are equally as unimpressed.

Maggie Nelson, vision support team manager at Barrow and Districts Society for the Blind said: "The number of disabled being employed has not gone up significantly since the decline in productivity began, so how can he blame disabled people in the workforce?

"I feel that more disabled people should be employed, they are generally more hard-working - then productivity levels would rise.

"Blind and partially sighted people find it very difficult to gain employment, but are desperate to join the workforce, and with all the technology these days there is absolutely no reason not to employ visually impaired people."

Carlisle-based Prism Arts helps disabled people break into the arts arena.

Lead artist Ali McCaw was disappointed by the comments.

She said: "I think it is a completely inaccurate understanding of what a disabled person contributes to the workforce.

"The low productivity is down to austerity, as people do not have the money to invest.

"It is a rather lame excuse."

Mrs McCaw believes the Chancellor's comments are ignorant.

She added: "I think it it is very insulting to people. It was a very ignorant remark.

"I would like to know how many people he has met in the workforce.

Cumbria CP work with adults and children who suffer from Cerebral Palsy and related conditions and associated disabilities across the county.

Support workers team leader for CP Cumbria, Sue Huntley also rejects the comments made by Phillip Hammond.

She said: "We absolutely disagree with him.

"It is a very unfortunate time, when the government has amended its policies to support more disabled people in the workforce."

For Sue, the disabled people in her charity are invaluable.

She added: "Without our disabled volunteers, we would struggle to function. "

Conservative councillor for Carlisle City Council, David Morton, who is registered blind, also disputes the claims of the Chancellor.

He said: "I wouldn't have thought the fact that more disabled people in the workforce would lead to poor productivity.

"Most of them would be able-bodied anyway. I think he is doing them a dis-service."

The Tory councillor believes the comments made by the chancellor were misplaced.

He added: "It is unfair to single them out for them being disabled, for the downturn in productivity.

"It is not right to blame disabled people for the downturn in productivity."

Mr Morton thinks there are a number of reasons for the fall in productivity, but more people entering the workforce who are disabled is definitely not one of them.

He added: "The number of of people who are disabled in the workforce are clearly outnumbered by able-bodied people.

"There will be many reasons for the downturn in productivity, but to single out disabled people is grossly unfair."

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How the Chancellor sparked anger

In Wednesday’s treasury select committee, the Chancellor was asked about low economic productivity levels, which he had reported during the autumn Budget last month.

At first, he responded saying that high levels of unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, “will be felt for many many years to come”.

He then added: “It is almost certainly the case that by increasing participation in the workforce, including far higher levels of participation by marginal groups and very high levels of engagement in the workforce, for example of disabled people – something we should be extremely proud of – may have had an impact on overall productivity measurements.”

The comments have been criticised by campaign groups nationally.