HC Deb 11 November 1971 vol 825 cc1217-8
24. Mr. Waddington

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress he has made with the new initiative he announced during the last Session of Parliament to help those disabled seeking employment.

Mr. Dudley Smith

My Department's officials, in collaboration with Rotary International and the other organisations with whom I had talks earlier this year, have made many useful contacts and some placings of disabled people have already stemmed directly from these. The consequent publicity on behalf of disabled people has probably helped in a very difficult employment situation. In the last four weeks some 4,800 jobs were found.

Two new industrial rehabilitation units have been opened this year and we are continuing to expand our training facilities.

Mr. Waddington

Will the Minister recall the importance which he attached in this context to the grants for the retraining of unemployed older workers? What has been the take-up of those grants?

Mr. Smith

I think I must have notice of that question, but there has been a general improvement since these original initiatives were announced. What I would say to my hon. and learned Friend is that we do not intend just to let matters lie. We are continuing with these initiatives on various fronts.

Mr. Pavitt

Would the Minister convey the thanks and appreciation of the many thousands of disabled people to the disablement and rehabilitation officers at the local exchanges, and, at the same time, will he have another look at the instructions in relation to the disability of deafness? At the moment no distinction is drawn between being deaf and being hard of hearing, and in consequence there is rather more difficulty than there would be if the instructions were a little more clear cut.

Mr. Smith

Yes, I will certainly do that. I am grateful to the hon. Member for his comments about the officers, who are now full-time specialist placement officers, and as he probably knows, those responsible in the past year have made placings at the rate of 68,000. They are doing a very good job.

Mr. Marten

Is the percentage of unemployed disabled now falling?

Mr. Smith

The percentage of disabled unemployed placing has inevitably fallen in a situation in which there is high unemployment. More efforts are being made, but in this situation that has not prevented the number of disabled unemployed from growing. But the position has shown, I believe, definite benefit from the efforts which have been made by my Department.