§ Mr. Terry Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has about the number of companies who do not meet their quotas for the employment of disabled people in the Bristol travel-to-work-area.
§ Mr. John GrantI am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that as at 1st June 1978, the latest date for which figures are available, 417 employers or 72.4 per cent. of the total number of employers subject to quota in the Bristol travel-to-work area did not meet the 3 per cent. quota for the employment of registered disabled people.
§ Mr. Ovendenasked the Secretary of State for Employment what have been the results of the 12 months' experimental period of the job introduction scheme for disabled people; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John GrantI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the job introduction scheme which was introduced experimentally for one year from 4th July 1977, enables the employment service division to make grants of £30 per week for six weeks to employers who engage a disabled person, who has been unemployed for more than six months, for a trial period of employment. The scheme is operated selectively by disablement resettlement officers and by careers officers in conjunction with DROs, in cases where an employer's reservations about the suitability of a disabled person might be removed by a trial period.
After an initially slow take-up, usage of the scheme increased and 639 disabled people have been placed by this method during the 12-month period. Follow up of the 166 placements made during the first six months showed that 134—81 per cent.—were still in satisfactory employment one month after the end of their 943W trial periods. Follow up reports on the placements made during the second six months will be analysed in September.
In the evaluation of this experiment, two modifications were recommended. First, that the eligibility criterion of six months or more unemployment should be removed, and, secondly, that extended trial periods of up to 13 weeks should exceptionally be granted, in those cases where disabled people need longer than six weeks to demonstrate their ability to do a job.
In view of the encouraging results, it has been decided to continue the scheme for a further experimental period of 18 months, and to incorporate the two recommended modifications. In the light of a further evaluation, it is proposed that a decision will then be taken about making the scheme permanent.