HC Deb 11 May 1959 vol 605 cc856-7
36. Mr. Hale

asked the Minister of Labour the number of disabled persons registered on the disabled persons' register at the Oldham and Failsworth Employment Exchanges at the most recent date; and how many were unemployed.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour and National Service (Mr. Richard Wood)

On 20th April, 1959 the number was 3,199, of whom 299 were unemployed.

Mr. Hale

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that with high unemployment in the area it is a particularly grave and rather heart-rending problem? The employment of disabled workers has become more acute. The restrictions which the Government have placed on Remploy and their failure to provide alternatives have led to very hard cases indeed in some types of illness in that they now render men quite capable of work virtually unemployable? Will he do something about this?

Mr. Wood

According to the figures I have, an extension of Remploy would not benefit, because these are men and women able to take employment in general industry and obviously the main benefit that we can bring to them would be an extension of industry generally.

Mr. Hale

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that some of these young men are not available for open industry but may be said to be capable of some form of ordinary work in local industry of a limited kind? I am now constantly getting cases of people suffering from chronic but not wholly disabling diseases and persons who are wholly unable to get work of any kind and in respect of whom a competent disabled persons' employment officer has been unable to do anything effective for them.

Mr. Wood

If the hon. Gentleman will put down a Question on a specific issue of those only fit for employment in sheltered conditions and give me all the facts at his disposal, I will be as helpful as I can.

37. Mr. Hale

asked the Minister of Labour how many disabled workers registered at the Oldham and Failsworth Employment Exchanges have been unemployed for periods totalling 26 weeks out of the period 12 months up to the most recent date for convenient computation.

Mr. Wood

I am afraid the precise information asked for is not readily available, but at 8th December last 287 registered disabled persons suitable for open employment were registered as unemployed at these offices, of whom 145 had been out of work for more than 26 weeks.

Mr. Hale

When the Parliamentary Secretary asks me to give him information, is he aware that I have been giving it for years? I have raised time after time classic cases of haemophilia and traumatic epilepsy. I myself have written to employers and tried to find them employment. Is not the situation in Oldham, where we have by voluntary effort provided a training establishment for mentally disabled workers and taken efforts to find a method of obtaining employment, such that there is something for the Government to do in providing training for these people with a view to their employment?

Mr. Wood

It is certainly possible to provide training. I think that the easiest way in which I could help would be for the hon. Gentleman to put to me specific problems, when I will do my best to help him.