HC Deb 26 February 1970 vol 796 cc1371-2
8. Mr. Edwin Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what proposals she has for increasing the training places at Gov- ernment training centres in the Yorkshire and Humberside areas.

Mr. Dell

The four G.T.C.s in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region had 719 training places on 9th February, and during 1970 there will be an increase of about 200 places, mainly at the new Wakefield centre.

Mr. Wainwright

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that in areas of high unemployment it is difficult to get jobs for men who are physically fit, but extremely difficult to get jobs for the disabled? Will he do more to enable the disabled to be trained so that they can really compete and obtain jobs?

Mr. Dell

Yes, Sir. We are concerned about the position to which my hon. Friend refers and this is a particular problem in mining areas, where there are many disabled people. As my right hon. Friend said, we are doing what we can to improve the employment prospects of disabled persons.

Mr. Hooley

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the percentage of unemployment in the Yorkshire and Humberside region has deteriorated continuously vis-à-vis the rest of the country in the last three years? Is it not time that more vigorous action to offset this was taken by the Government?

Mr. Dell

There is a Question later on the Order Paper on the position in Yorkshire. I remind my hon. Friend of the recent decision to make the Yorkshire coal field an intermediate area.