Government minister Anne McGuire has urged employers to recruit the talent and skills of Britain’s 10m disabled people.

Speaking at the TUC’s disability conference, the newly appointed minister for disabled people argued that the government had promoted equality through legislation.

But she urged employers to take the same proactive stance: “Many employers are already realising they need to harness talent, not disability, when they see it.

“It’s about harnessing and developing talent. It’s about liberating people from the prejudices and misconceptions that have held them back for so long.

“More employers are realising that there’s a compelling business case for employing disabled people. It isn’t just an ethical responsibility, it’s a business imperative.”

The government recently amended the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 so that no employer can reasonably discriminate against disabled employees or jobseekers.

McGuire said the government’s New Deal employment scheme had found work for almost a quarter of a million disabled people.