Lord Freud apologises after suggesting some disabled people were 'not worth' minimum wage
LORD Freud has apologised after he suggested some disabled people were "not worth" the minimum wage and could be paid just £2 an hour instead.
The Welfare Minister made a "full and unreserved apology" after widespread anger and calls for him to quit after it emerged he made the comments.
The 64-year-old added he was "foolish" to answer a question about disability pay which was recorded candidly at the Conservative party conference.
Conservative David Scott asked about some "mentally damaged individuals" who want to work but employers are not will to pay minimum wage.
Lord Freud said: "You make a really good point about the disabled.
"Now I had not thought through, and we have not got a system for, you know, kind of going below the minimum wage.
"There is a group - and I know exactly who you mean - where actually, as you say, they're not worth the full wage and actually I'm going to go and think about that particular issue, whether there is something we can do nationally, and without distorting the whole thing, which actually if someone wants to work for £2 an hour, and it's working can we actually..."
There is a group - and I know exactly who you mean - where actually, as you say, they're not worth the full wage
Labour called for the Conservative peer to resign in light of the comments while people blasted him for the views on social networking site Twitter.
Following the outrage Lord Freud issued a statement saying it was "offensive" to suggest disabled people should be paid less than the minimum wage.
He said: "I would like to offer a full and unreserved apology.
"I was foolish to accept the premise of the question. To be clear, all disabled people should be paid at least the minimum wage, without exception, and I accept that it is offensive to suggest anything else.
"I care passionately about disabled people. I am proud to have played a full part in a Government that is fully committed to helping disabled people overcome the many barriers they face in finding employment."
David Cameron said it was "absolutely not" his view that disabled people may not be worth the full minimum wage at the House of Commons today.
The Prime Minister was asked about the comments by Labour leader Ed Miliband.
He said: "Of course disabled people should be paid the minimum wage and the minimum wage under this Government is going up and going up in real terms.
"It's now at £6.50. We will be presenting our evidence to the Low Pay Commission, calling for another real-terms increase in the minimum wage."
Mr Miliband said the comments showed the "nasty" side of the Conservative party was "back" during Prime Minister's Questions.
Lord Freud aired his views about disability pay during a fringe meeting in Birmingham last month at the Tory party conference.
