HC Deb 28 February 1957 vol 565 cc1369-71
4. Mr. Hannan

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of people on the Disabled Persons Register in Scotland at the most recent convenient date; and how many of these were unemployed.

Mr. Carr

On 15th October, 1956, there were 78,431 people on the Disabled Persons Register in Scotland. The number of registered disabled unemployed on 21st January, 1957, was 7,278.

Mr. Hannan

Will the Parliamentary Secretary agree that this is, in proportion, a very great number? Will he bear in mind that in Scotland unemployment overall is proportionately the heaviest in the United Kingdom, and will he try to have an extension of Remploy in Scotland to take up some of the slack?

Mr. Carr

Certainly we shall do all we can to help to solve this problem in Scotland. I think it should be borne in mind that although the problem may be a serious one, and that we are right to be concerned about it, the number of disabled unemployed in Scotland has been falling year by year, and I am sure that we are all pleased about that.

11. Mr. E. Johnson

asked the Minister of Labour how many disabled persons are employed in Remploy Factories at the present time and how this compares with the number so employed in February, 1956.

Mr. Carr

The number of severely disabled persons employed by Remploy factories on 1st January, 1957, the latest date for which information is available, was 6,172 compared with 5,996 on 28th February, 1956.

12. Mr. E. Johnson

asked the Minister of Labour if he is satisfied that there are adequate sheltered workshops to provide employment for the physically disabled; if he will examine the whole question of the administration of such workshops; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Carr

There are in Great Britain some 200 sheltered workshops, of which 90 are Remploy factories and the rest are provided by local authorities or voluntary organisations with financial help from my Department. Altogether they employ about 11,000 severely disabled.

There has been a steady and remarkable decline in the numbers of unemployed severely disabled persons for the last eight years, and I do not consider that the present situation calls for the provision of new workshops on a large scale. There are, however, particular areas where I should like to see some expansion when circumstances allow. The whole question of sheltered employment was recently examined by the Committee under the Chairmanship of Lord Piercy. The Committee did not suggest any major change in the present arrangements, but made some detailed recommendations which are being considered.

Mr. Johnson

While thanking my hon. Friend for that very satisfactory reply, may I ask him whether he is getting all the co-operation he would wish from private enterprise in finding jobs for disabled people?

Mr. Carr

Yes, I think so. One of the most remarkable developments during the last few years has been the number of severely disabled people whom we have been able to place in open employment without the need for sheltered employment. That could not have been achieved without the most willing and active support of a very large number of private employers.

Dr. King

Can the hon. Gentleman assure us that his attitude to these factories is not coloured by the very hostile report of a Select Committee of this House? Will he bear in mind that these factories are doing first-class work in giving citizens a sense of earning their living? Will he do what he can to extend these activities?

Mr. Carr

I want to say only words of praise for the work which is being done by all these sheltered workshops. It is of immense value. When I say that the ideal to aim at is to get people into open employment I do not in any way belittle the value of the sheltered workshops.

Mr. Robens

The hon. Gentleman would agree, would he not, that one of the reasons why so many disabled persons are entering open employment, and one of the reasons why industrialists are able to employ them, is the training that they have had at training colleges, such as Queen Elizabeth Training College, which train disabled people for the kind of work which they can still do, despite their various disabilities? Would the hon. Gentleman, as no doubt he would, like to see an extension of the work of this kind of college, which is not quite a sheltered workshop?

Mr. Carr

I certainly agree with the right hon. Gentleman that one would like to see extensions in many directions. I should be rash to make any promises, but we shall watch this very carefully and do all we can to encourage it.