§ Mr. Hannamasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average time a disabled person has to wait between being offered a place on an ERC course and being able to start the course; and has this time altered within the last two years.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 29 October 1980, c. 224]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that in August 1980 the average waiting period for ERC courses was about five weeks in the case of those able to attend an ERC on a daily basis; and about six weeks for those needing to go into lodgings for the period of their attendance. The equivalent figures for August 1978 were about seven weeks and 11 weeks respectively.
§ Mr. Hannamasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the obligation of companies under the Companies Act 1980 to report their policy on employing disabled people will in any way replace their obligation under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 to report their implementation of the quota scheme; and whether their statement of policy will in any way be treated as a substitute for legal compliance with the quota.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 29 October 1980, c. 224]: The provisions of the Companies (Directors' Report) (Employment of Disabled Persons) Regulations 1980 are entirely additional to the 387W requirements of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944. They do not affect the obligation of employers to comply with, and keep records on their implementation of, the quota scheme.