§ 8. Mr. Spriggsasked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed workers, who are at present signing the register in St. Helens, are registered disabled persons and what are their prospects of finding jobs.
§ Mr. GreenOn 16th April, 333 registered disabled persons were unemployed. There is a substantial number of new jobs in prospect in the area and this should improve the outlook for employment of disabled people.
§ Mr. SpriggsIs this not a very high figure for one Ministry of Labour employment exchange area? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that most of the people concerned, through sickness or injury, have no hope whatever of ever being given employment again unless the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary and other Ministers are prepared to consider ways and means of overcoming this long-standing unemployment which arises from various causes? Might I suggest that consideration should be given to the commutation of pensions schemes, such as the Civil Service pensions scheme, whereby a man could be assisted to step out on his own, to help himself, where he could not get other employment? Another point is, should there not be extension of the Remploy scheme? I should like to know whether the Government have considered the extension of such schemes.
§ Mr. GreenThe first parts of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question are not really for me to answer, particularly with regard to pension commutations. The Remploy factory provisions have been extended over the past 12 months and a few more new places have been 11 found in the hon. Gentleman's constituency in the last six months. This matter will, of course, continue to be sympathetically considered.