HC Deb 01 April 1963 vol 675 cc22-4
35. Mr. Jeger

asked the Minister of Labour how many registered disabled workers in the West Riding of Yorkshire have received rehabilitation or other training courses during the past year; and how many of these are now unemployed.

Mr. Hare

During the year, March, 1962, to February, 1963, 866 registered disabled persons in the West Riding of Yorkshire completed courses of industrial rehabilitation or vocational training or both. On 20th March, 1963, of 159 who had completed training courses, 34 were unemployed and of 707 who had completed only rehabilitation courses, 240 were unemployed.

Mr. Jeger

Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate the misery that is caused when a man who is disabled goes through a rehabilitation or training course with high hopes that work will be found for him but afterwards finds that he is unemployed and is thrown back on the scrap heap? Will the Minister get his Department to make determined efforts to get these people into employment?

Mr. Hare

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that my Department makes every effort to get these people into employment. He is right about the disappointment which obviously must be felt by them. He will appreciate that they are by far the most difficult cases. However, almost half of those who complete the courses are placed in employment and a further sixth accepted for training. I appreciate the hon. Gentleman's remarks, although I can assure him that we are doing everything we can to place these people in employment.

Mr. Mason

Would the Minister not agree that an expansion of Remploy would help in this respect? Will he reconsider the categories who are allowed to enter Remploy so that, by a broadening of those categories, more disabled may be taken in?

Mr. Hare

As the hon. Member knows, we have expanded the capacity of Remploy, which deals with the more severely disabled. We want to combine the efforts of Remploy, the local authorities and employers, the latter in taking a percentage of disabled when engaging people for jobs in their factories.

Mr. Jeger

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that there is sufficient consultation regarding prospective employment prior to these men being sent for training? Is he aware that in some cases men are sent off for training courses but find when they have returned from those courses that the work for which they have been trained is not available for them locally? Will the right hon. Gentleman see that there is the fullest consultation with local employers?

Mr. Hare

There is, of course, considerable consultation. We are anxious to give people who can benefit from rehabilitation every chance and one must draw the balancing line rather carefully.