Visually Handicapped People (Hansard, 8 February 1991)

§ Sir Russell Johnston
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's total budget for 1991–92 for the employment training of visually handicapped people at specialist colleges.

Mr. Jackson
The Employment Department, through a central unit, contracts with four specialist providers for the training of visually impaired people in employment training.
Nationally, on the basis of negotiations with these specialist providers, a budget of around £3.7 million will be set aside by the unit for the training of visually handicapped people in 1991–;92.
Training and enterprise councils and local enterprise companies may also contract direct with local or other specialist providers. No forecast is available on this level of expenditure.

§ Sir Russell Johnston
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the average fee per training week agreed by the Training Agency for the vocational training of visually handicapped people; how this fee is calculated; and what account is taken of inflation.

Mr. Jackson
The Employment Department, through a central unit, contracts with four specialist providers for the training of visually impaired people in employment training.
Training and enterprise councils, local enterprise companies and Employment Department area offices may also contract direct with local or other specialist providers. Fees for the centrally run provision are negotiated separately with each provider each year, taking into account inflation. Levels of local fees may vary considerably. No information is therefore available on the average weekly fee for the vocational training of visually handicapped people.

§ Sir Russell Johnston
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of(a) the proportion of visually impaired people of working age who are unemployed and (b) the proportion of unemployed visually impaired people who are long-term unemployed; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson
The information is not available in the form requested. However, it has been estimated that in 269W 1989, there were 194,000 economically active people—that is, people in or wanting work—of working age, who were visually impaired. Of these, 63,000 (32.5 per cent.) wanted work but were unemployed. No separate estimate is available of the proportion of economically active visually impaired people who were long-term unemployed.
The Employment Department provides a wide range of help for visually impaired people. This includes rehabilitation and training, specialist assistance with finding a job, provision of special aids and equipment, and a personal reader scheme.

§ Sir Russell Johnston
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the level of expenditure in 1990–91 by the Training Agency to specialist colleges providing employment training for visually handicapped people.

Mr. Jackson
The Employment Department, though a central unit, contracts with four specialist providers for the training of visually impaired people in employment training. On the basis of current levels of trainees in training with these providers, it is expected that the total expenditure on training people with visual handicaps in 1990–91 will be £3.5 million.
Training and enterprise councils, local enterprise companies and remaining TEED area offices may contract direct with local providers. Information on this expenditure is not held centrally.

Programme Date announced Government Funding (£ million) Total commitment to projects (£ million)

Molecular Electronics 3 February 1988 4.00 5.00

Advanced Semiconductors 3 February 1988 12.20 7.55

Industrial Measurement Systems 3 February 1988 10.80 10.70

Eukaryotic Genetic Engineering 3 February 1988 2.80 4.20

Nanotechnology 3 February 1988 7.75 7.55

Biotransformations 15 April 1988 2.00 3.45

Personal Communications 13 June 1988 6.35 4.40

Selective Drug Delivery and Targeting 14 June 1988 1.50 1.65

Construction Maintenance and Refurbishment 14 June 1988 1.50 0.95

Food Processing Sciences 7 September 1988 7.00 5.45

Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration 17 April 1989 1.50 0.50

Optoelectronic Systems 26 April 1989 15.00 7.75

Design of High Speed Machinery 10 May 1989 10.50 2.65

Structural Composites 16 May 1989 21.25 1.45

Protein Engineering 12 June 1989 4.85 0.60

Biochemical Engineering 15 June 1989 7.50 4.25

New Catalysts and Catalytic Processes 19 June 1989 2.50 —

Power Electronic Devices and Derived Systems 27 July 1989 7.00 2.80

Control of Plant Metabolism 19 September 1989 1.55 —

Molecular Sensors 27 September 1989 5.50 1.00

Technology for Analytical and Physical Measurement 27 September 1989 8.20 0.55

TOTAL 141.25 72.35

Programme	Date announced	Government Funding (£ million)	Total commitment to projects (£ million)
Molecular Electronics	3 February 1988	4.00	5.00
Advanced Semiconductors	3 February 1988	12.20	7.55
Industrial Measurement Systems	3 February 1988	10.80	10.70
Eukaryotic Genetic Engineering	3 February 1988	2.80	4.20
Nanotechnology	3 February 1988	7.75	7.55
Biotransformations	15 April 1988	2.00	3.45
Personal Communications	13 June 1988	6.35	4.40
Selective Drug Delivery and Targeting	14 June 1988	1.50	1.65
Construction Maintenance and Refurbishment	14 June 1988	1.50	0.95
Food Processing Sciences	7 September 1988	7.00	5.45
Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration	17 April 1989	1.50	0.50
Optoelectronic Systems	26 April 1989	15.00	7.75
Design of High Speed Machinery	10 May 1989	10.50	2.65
Structural Composites	16 May 1989	21.25	1.45
Protein Engineering	12 June 1989	4.85	0.60
Biochemical Engineering	15 June 1989	7.50	4.25
New Catalysts and Catalytic Processes	19 June 1989	2.50	—
Power Electronic Devices and Derived Systems	27 July 1989	7.00	2.80
Control of Plant Metabolism	19 September 1989	1.55	—
Molecular Sensors	27 September 1989	5.50	1.00
Technology for Analytical and Physical Measurement	27 September 1989	8.20	0.55
	TOTAL	141.25	72.35