§ 15. Mr. J. Patonasked the Minister of Labour what steps he proposes to take to increase the proportion of disabled workers employed in administrative, supervisory and other non-manual duties, in Remploy factories.
§ Sir W. MoncktonRemploy Limited are responsible for the recruitment of their staff. I am informed that preference in engagement is always given to suitable disabled persons, of whom there are 21 per cent. in the grades concerned.
§ Mr. PatonWould the Minister agree that the employment of 237 disabled people out of 1,109 employed in the categories he mentioned seems to be an extraordinarily low percentage? Is he satisfied that the Remploy authorities do, in fact, consult the local disablement register in order to find employment for these 546 people and to find out if there are suitable people on the register in various parts of the country?
§ Sir W. MoncktonThe hon. Member has drawn my attention to the matter in an earlier question, and I did then inquire into it. I discovered that, among these 1,109, there are managers, clerks, foremen, charge hands, storekeepers and canteen workers. Remploy factories have found considerable difficulty because they need people with some strength for lifting and so forth among their administrative staff, but their attention is directed to the employment of as many disabled people as they can.