HC Deb 12 December 1972 vol 848 cc98-9W
Mr. Carmichael

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of employable disabled people in Scotland; how many are in employment in sheltered workshops; how many in open work; and how many are unemployed.

Mr. Dudley Smith

When last counted in April there were 60,921 people in Scotland registered under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944. Currently 10,307 such people are unemployed; and 1,768 are employed in sheltered workshops. Most of the remainder are in open work; but it is not possible to give an estimate of the precise number. There is also evidence to suggest that there are as many unregistered, but registrable, disabled people in open work as there are registered disabled people in open work and that about one-fourth of unemployed disabled people known to my Department are not registered under the Act.

Mr. Carmichael

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of disabled people employed in, respectively, private industry and the nationalised industries in Scotland; and what percentage of the total employees these figures represent in each case.

Mr. Dudley Smith

I regret that the information is not available.