Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, government spokesman on Work and Pensions in the House of Lords, has welcomed the joint campaign by AIRMIC and the Confederation of British Industry to promote workplace reha

Lord Hunt was speaking at the latest of a series of events organised by AIRMIC to provide employers with practical guidance and encouragement on rehabilitation. The conference, held in London on 22 March, was chaired by David Ireland, chairman of AIRMIC's rehabilitation group and managing director of Vinci Insurance Services, risk management arm of the construction company Vinci Group.

Among the other speakers were Jane Willis, strategic programme director at the Health and Safety Executive; Professor Sayeed Khan, chief medical advisor to the Engineering Employers' Federation and Dan Curtis, a partner in the large loss unit of solicitors Weightmans. Dr Ian Lawson, who helped introduce a comprehensive rehabilitation programme at Rolls-Royce, described how it had been instrumental in reducing absence and improving staff motivation.