APPOINTMENT OF NEW NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS FOR REMPLOY LTD

23 May 2006 11:15 AM

Joe Mann MBE and Ian Thornley have been appointed as Non-Executive Directors of Remploy, UK's leading provider of employment opportunities for disabled people.

Announcing the appointment, John Hutton, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said:

"I am delighted that Joe Mann MBE and Ian Thornley will be joining the Remploy Board. They will bring a wealth of experience to the Company, both in terms of their respective successful careers in Trade Unionism and business and their personal commitment to supporting disabled people".

Anne McGuire, Minister for Disabled People, said:

"I am very pleased that we have been able to attract such high calibre individuals to work with Remploy and would also like to offer my thanks to both Anna Vinton and Alan Tuffin for their service to Remploy".

Notes for Editors

1. Remploy Ltd is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. It receives a grant-in-aid each year in exchange for delivering a range of employment opportunities for around 10,000 disabled people under the Government's WORKSTEP programme. Remploy delivers this support by operating as a commercial organisation with around 80 business sites and also by providing support to disabled people working with other employers through its Interwork Scheme.

2. The Company has a large presence in the school furniture business, it supplies clothing for the armed forces, and it has an automotive business, which supplies companies such as Honda, Ford and Land Rover. In addition they operate managed services on customer sites including CCTV or call centre operations.

3. Mr Joe Mann MBE is a National Secretary of Community, The Union For Life. Joe, who was disabled by polio as a child, has spent the last 10 years campaigning for full civil rights for disabled people at all levels including government and parliament. Joe was General Secretary of the National League of The Blind and Disabled from 1995-2000, during which time he was appointed to the Government's Disability Rights Task Force. Since 1997, he has been a member of the Labour Party National Policy Forum, and since 2003 a member of the Labour Party National Executive Committee. Joe is also a member of the Executive Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions.

4. Mr Ian Thornley is a Chartered Accountant. Following a 7-year career in the profession, he joined Northwest Airlines in 1992, holding a number of senior management posts with responsibility for operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He joined a US quoted support services business in 1998 as Corporate Development Director, Europe before being appointed Managing Director of Right4Staff Ltd, one of its UK subsidiaries. Ian led a management buy-out of Right4Staff in 2002, serving as its CEO until October 2005.

5. The appointment of Remploy Non-Executive Directors is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. The recruitment and selection process was in accordance with the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) Code of Practice. Mr Mann and Mr Thornley do not hold any other ministerial public appointments.

6. The appointments as Non-Executive Directors are for an initial 3-year period and attract remuneration of £7,500 per annum.

7. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity to be made public. Mr Mann has declared that he is a member of the Labour Party and Mr Thornley has declared he does not undertake any political activity.

8. Anna Vinton was a Non Executive Remploy Board member for 6 years and left on 3 January 2006. She was involved in generally supporting the business. In December 2005, Anne McGuire sent a valedictory note to Anna, thanking her for her contribution. Alan Tuffin is due to leave the Board on 30 June 2006 after being a Non Executive Director for 6 and a half years.

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