§ 65. Mr. Spriggsasked the Minister of Labour if he will state, up to the latest convenient date, the number of wholly unemployed men, women, boys and girls, respectively, in the St. Helens district, for each month since June, 1962; what these figures represent as a percentage of the insured population in each category for each of the above months; and how these figures compare with the same period last year.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. William Whitelaw)As the reply consists of a Table of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the information required:
§ unemployed for more than 12 months. I am satisfied that employers generally make every effort to employ the standard percentage of registered disabled persons required by the Disabled Persons (Employment) Acts and co-operate well with our Disablement Resettlement Officers in finding suitable employment for the disabled. The availability of suitable work far those unemployed must depend to some extent on the nature of each industry concerned.
§ Mr. SpriggsWhat is the hon. Gentleman prepared to do for the disabled worker who has been unemployed for 887 twelve months or more? These are very serious cases of people who cannot get employment. What special provisions is the hon. Gentleman prepared to make to find work for them?
§ Mr. WhitelawI accept that this is, indeed, a serious point. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that our disablement resettlement officers do everything in their power to obtain suitable employment for these people and, in general terms, get every co-operation from the employers concerned.
§ Dr. KingWe know that most employers are co-operating in taking on disabled men, but can the Parliamentary Secretary tell us whether he does anything to those who do not co-operate?
§ Mr. WhitelawThe words "does anything" are, perhaps, difficult. In general terms, one would say that most employers certainly do co-operate very well. As the hon. Member knows, they are obliged to employ their quota under the Act.
§ Mr. SpriggsWill the Minister extend the jobs that Remploy is able to offer to the disabled unemployed worker?
§ Mr. WhitelawThe hon. Member will appreciate that Remploy, in the main, does a first-class job, but it is engaged in providing jobs for the severely disabled.