§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future of the residential employment rehabilitation centre in Ingol, Preston.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mrs. Audrey Wise, dated 8 July 1993:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about the future of the residential employment rehabilitation centre in Ingol, Preston. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
As you will know from previous correspondence, the decision to close the Employment Rehabilitation Centre at Ingol resulted from our plans to improve the quality and accessibility of employment assessment and rehabilitation for people with disabilities. The decision was taken only after we were satisfied that a network of agents was in place which could provide at least as good a service as that offered by Ingol.
The centre was closed on 31 December 1992. Tenders were invited and the site has now been sold subject to contract. Until the sale is concluded, you will appreciate that it would not be right for me to comment on possible future uses.
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.