HC Deb 06 May 1993 vol 224 cc237-8W
Mr. Callaghan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the percentage quota of disabled people employed by each local area authority in the Greater Manchester area.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Tables showing the number and percentage of registered disabled people employed by a wide range of individual employers in the public sector, including local authorities, are published annually inEmployment Gazette. The figures are published with the agreement of the employers concerned. The latest available figures, which relate to 1 June 1992, are in the April 1993 Employment Gazette, a copy of which is in the Library.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many local authorities in England and Wales have met the 3 per cent. quota of disabled workers set out in the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 in each year since 1979; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. McLoughlin

Responsibility 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 Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 6 May 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 about the number of local authorities in England and Wales who have employed a three per cent. Quota of disabled people in each year since 1979. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency. The information you requested is set out in the attached table. The information relates to 1 June each year and is taken from data published in the Employment Gazette in respect of individual employers in the public sector. However, the figures do not give a complete picture of the extent to which people with disabilities are employed by local authorities. Quota figures reflect only the employment of people with disabilities who chose to register under the 1944 legislation. Many eligible people with disabilities are not registered. I hope this is helpful.

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.

England and Wales Number of local authorities employing at least 3 per cent, registered disabled people
Year Number
1979 64
1980 63
1981 51
1982 44
1983 41
1984 43
1985 36
1986 33
1987 30
1988 31
1989 23
1990 22
1991 13
1992 15