§ 29. Mr. Hoyasked the Minister of Labour if he is now able to make a statement regarding the appointment of a placements officer for blind persons in Scotland.
§ Sir W. MoncktonThe inquiries to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member on 23rd April involve reference to local authorities and others, and will take some time to complete.
§ Mr. HoyIs the Minister aware that this was the answer given to me by the Scottish Office in September of last year, when I was told that the Scottish Office and the Ministry of Labour were collating this information? Can the Minister give a good reason for all the delay which has taken place since then?
§ Sir W. MoncktonYes, Sir. So far as the Ministry of Labour is concerned, as the hon. Member knows, a conference took place on 14th April. At that conference it was decided to make inquiries because local authorities under the relevant legislation have themselves produced schemes which make them in part responsible for the placement of the blind, and they, in conjunction with others interested, thought inquiries ought to be made. We have not a large staff to do it; it is going ahead, but I cannot say that anything before 14th April is my fault.
§ Mr. HoyIs not the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the findings of that conference only repeated the decision recommended by the working party in February of last year? It does not seem to me to be a very good reason —and I am sure it does not to the Minister—why the blind people in Scotland have been denied the services of a placements officer when they are already employed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
§ Sir W. MoncktonOn 14th April it was decided by the local authorities and those present that further inquiries ought to be made. These inquiries are being made, and if they result in a request for a placements officer I will do my best to supply one.