§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list how many firms received quota exemption permits under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 for the latest date for which information is available; and how many of these firms held quota exemption permits for longer than two years, five years and 10 years, respectively.
§ Mr. Eggar[holding answer 20 February 1990]: On 1 June 1989, the latest date for which information is available, the number of firms issued with quota permits was 18,530. Permits are issued for a maximum period of six months. information on the length of time for which individual employers have held a continuous series of such permits is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, pursuant to his answer of 13 February to the hon. Member for Stretford, he will list(a) the number of firms not meeting their quota obligations under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 for every year since 1979 to the latest available date and (b) the number of firms not meeting their quota obligations and without permits, for each year from 1979 to the latest available date.
§ Mr. Eggar[holding answer 20 February 1990]: The information requested is as follows:
834W
Year ending Firms not employing the quota of 3 per cent, people with disabilities Firms not employing the quota of 3 per cent, people with disabilities and which are without permits 1 June 1979 31,234 8,822 1 June 1980 30,226 8,225 1 June 1981 29,073 7,890 1 June 1982 28,828 9,032 1 June 1983 25,681 7,145 1 June 1984 25,550 6,781
Year ending Firms not employing the quota of 3 per cent. people with disabilities Firms not employing the quota of 3 per cent. people with disabilities and which are without permits 1 June 1985 25,501 6,820 1 June 1986 24,643 5,803 1 June 1987 24,593 6,016 1 June 1988 24,705 6,111 1 June 1989 24,700 6,170 Employers who are below quota and without permits have not necessarily committed an offence unless they have engaged people who were not registered as disabled when a suitable registered disabled person was available.