Welfare Reform Minister Lord Freud has issued a "full and unreserved apology" after suggesting that some disabled people are "not worth" the minimum wage - but stopped short of resigning.
The Tory peer said he had been "foolish" in "accepting the premise" of a question posed to him during a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference last month.
Lord Freud has been withdrawn from frontbench duties in the House of Lords on Thursday, where he had been scheduled to reply to a question and represent the Government in a debate.
The Department for Work and Pensions said the peer "isn't available" but gave no further details of why he was being replaced by colleagues.
Questions to be asked over meaning behind Lord Freud's comments relating to disabled workers.
Ed Miliband has called for Tory Lord Freud to resign after he suggested some disabled workers are 'not worth' the full minimum wage