HC Deb 16 October 1952 vol 505 cc362-3
14. Mr. Hayman

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has reached any conclusions on the possibility of providing some kinds of work at home for the physically disabled who are outside the scope of Remploy, Limited.

Sir W. Monckton

This is a matter which is engaging the attention of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health and myself.

Mr. Hayman

Will the Minister and his colleague take this matter into urgent consideration, since there are 60,000 registered disabled persons in this category?

Sir W. Monckton

I am most anxious not to get into a discussion of figures with the hon. Gentleman. If that should become necessary, I think that he has given a high figure, but the hon. Gentleman will appreciate that, so far as my Department is concerned, I am dealing with the matter from the employment end, and I have to look at the numbers in the categories which deal with sheltered conditions and the numbers in industry as a whole. I am trying to do that. As I have indicated my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health has invited the local authorities to put up schemes to him.

Mr. Edward Evans

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware of the very great disappointment with the provision of work for domiciliary workers who are disabled, and in view of a recommendation of the Advisory Council upon the Welfare of Handicapped Persons, which urges the importance of local authorities taking the steps provided for in the welfare clause of the National Assistance Act, will he communicate with his right hon. Friend to see that the local authorities present schemes which will alleviate a great deal of this distress?

Sir W. Monckton

I will certainly raise that matter with my right hon. Friend. So far as the Remploy Company is concerned, I know that they try to get that sort of work, but there is difficulty in finding work of a continuous kind for home-bound disabled.

Mr. J. Paton

Is it not clear from what the Minister has just said, and from the many Questions on this subject that have been asked, that the time has arrived for an independent inquiry into the whole subject, including the relationship of the sheltered employment in Remploy to the much more difficult problem of the homebound disabled about whom there is so much anxiety?

Sir W. Monckton

It is precisely on that matter that I am in touch with my right hon. Friend, and I shall be glad to answer a Question on that when my conversations have ended.