§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he is giving to the results of the recent investigation by a working party into growing unemployment among the blind, particularly machine operators; and if 404W the Manpower Services Commission will be making efforts to follow up some of the proposals.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI welcome the report and the careful work which has gone into it. I have asked the Manpower Services Commission to examine its recommendations and senior officials are to meet officials of the Royal National Institute for the Blind—RNIB—to discuss the report in more detail. I am informed by the MSC that it is in agreement with the vast majority of the recommendations in the report and welcomes the emphasis in the report on continuing the close co-operation that has developed between the MSC and the RNIB in their joint efforts to promote employment opportunities for blind people. I shall be watching with interest the MSC's further consideration of the report within the overall context of its policies for disabled people.