§ 9. Sir I. Fraserasked the Minister of Labour if he will cause an inquiry, by the sampling method or otherwise, to ascertain whether employers generally are including three per cent. of disabled persons in their labour force as required by the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsWritten inquiries are in course of being made of all employers of 20 or more workers with respect to the fulfilment of their obligations under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944, and these will be followed as necessary by an inspection of records.
§ Sir I. FraserIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that many employers have most sympathetically fitted men into simple jobs, and will he expedite this inquiry so that those who do not know of their obligations may be informed of them?
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsI think that is a correct statement of the facts in industry. We hope to get all these replies in by the middle of next month and we shall then be in a position to see what help we should give employers, not only to keep them right as to their obligations, but to assist them to meet those obligations by providing the types of disabled persons for the types of jobs they have.
§ Mr. ChetwyndEven if all employers employed their full quota at present, does the right hon. Gentleman think that that would take up all the unemployed disabled men, and if not, will he consider increasing the quota immediately?
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsThis is a matter which is under consideration. We are advised by some very good people who are themselves disabled. This is examined every month, and it is to be the subject of examination tomorrow
§ Mr. William ShepherdIn order to make sure that employers employ the right percentage, why cannot the number of disabled men employed be shown on the returns sent to the Department?
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsThat is the return which is being asked for.