Disabled Persons (Hansard, 8 July 1947)

§ 39. Mr. Walter Fletcher
asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to ascertain the total number of disabled unemployed in the country; and, when these figures have been obtained and examined, what steps he is taking to provide employment within physical reach of these disabled men.

§ Mr. Isaacs
A count is taken each month of the number of disabled persons recorded at employment exchanges as unemployed. On 19th May last the number was 64,754. Special steps are taken to put disabled applicants in touch with suitable employment, or to give them vocational training if that is required For the severely disabled special provision is made by the factories of the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation.

§ Mr. Fletcher
in view of the large figure given by the Minister and of the considerable uneasiness throughout the country on the question of the employment of the disabled, will the Minister, at an early-date, make a more comprehensive and detailed statement on this matter, which affects nearly everyone in the country?

§ Mr. Isaacs
I hope that it will be possible to do what the hon. Gentleman asks, because this is a very interesting piece of work. The total number of persons on the register is 700,000, and 64,000 is not a large proportion of that number, but far too many to be left without any work. The problem is to get special factories built to take these workers.

§ Viscount Hinchingbrooke
Does not this large number show that the Act of 1944 is not working very satisfactorily?

§ Mr. Isaacs
It shows quite the contrary. The number is so small as to show that the Act is working very effectively.

§ Mr. Leslie Hale
Is the Minister aware that the work being done is very greatly appreciated indeed and is very important, but as there is some evidence that it is not being done with all the speed with which it could be done, will he pay special attention to the speedy employment of disabled persons in factories where they are most needed?

§ Mr. Isaacs
That is the problem, and the main reason which is holding up the job.

§ 40. Mr. W. Fletcher
asked the Minister of Labour how far the absorption of 3 per cent. of disabled men by industry, whether State-owned or private enterprise, has been implemented; and to what extent the 3 per cent. or any proportion thereof that have been absorbed are disabled men taken on as new employees, or existing employees who are now to be regarded as disabled men.

§ Mr. Isaacs
Employers on the whole are carrying out their obligations to employ 3 per cent. of disabled persons. The number of persons registered as disabled who were in employment at 19th May was about 700,000. I know that many of these obtained their employment as a direct result of the statutory provisions, but I have no information as to the precise number.

§ Mr. Fletcher
Does not the Minister realise that in cases where Government or non-Government employers are taking into account those employed before, 3 per cent. is really an illusory figure, and does not mean that 3 per cent. of the new unemployed are being absorbed?

§ Mr. Isaacs
It was fair that many employers who had taken back their badly disabled people should be permitted to count them in the quota number, and I know of an industry where the proportion is as high as 15 per cent. of the firm's employees; in Government service, about 4½per cent. Speaking generally, the employers have played the game in this matter.