Our interest in policies for the employment of disabled people was first stimulated by a commission from the Employment Department to review policies and services in 15 countries. Our thinking was further informed by an invitation to contribute an overview of UK policy at an international expert meeting in December 1994, organised by the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research and the Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs. While we are grateful to those bodies for supporting our earlier work, the views expressed here are ours alone