§ Sir J. Smedley Crookeasked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider having the classification of war-disabled pensioners who are registering at Employment Exchanges for employment amended, to show, in addition to the classification of categories A, B, and C, the numbers who have suffered amputation of arm, leg, and those 50 per cent. or more disabled, or whether he will consider the possibility of reserving certain avenues of sheltered employment for those men who are unfit for ordinary competitive employment?
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§ Mr. E. BrownThe nature of the disabilities suffered by disabled ex-service men and the percentages of their disability pensions are taken into account when the men are classified in the industrial categories A, B and C (of which details are given below), by Employment Exchanges who consult local King's Roll Committees where appropriate. I understand that the King's Roll National Council are satisfied that these classifications are sufficient for normal purposes.
As regards the last part of the question, I think the present method of making grants to a number of voluntary organisations which provide for the employment of severely disabled ex-Service men who are unfit for employment under ordinary conditions is the most practicable one to adopt.
Following are the details:
Category A.—Those whose disability would not prevent them from returning to their usual occupation or to an analogous occupation, under ordinary industrial or commercial conditions, after training if necessary;Category B.—Those whose disability would prevent them from returning to their usual occupation, but would not preclude them from employment under ordinary industrial or commercial conditions, on what might be described as a light job;Category C.—Those whose disability renders, it difficult for them to be employed under ordinary industrial or commercial conditions except in some institution specially designed for ex-Service men suffering from very severe occupational disability.A number of Undertakings exist to provide employment for the more severely disabled ex-Service men of the type who are included in Category C above. These Undertakings are administered by voluntary bodies (such as the British Legion and the Lord Roberts Memorial Workshops) and between them they employ a considerable number of the more severely disabled ex-Service men. The Ministry of Labour administers a Scheme of Grants by which assistance may be given to any of these Undertakings where they are unable to meet the cost of maintaining a trading organisation; assistance is given in two forms. In the majority of cases, the grants are based on the deficiency incurred in trading in the previous financial year of the Undertaking, but where the men who are accepted for employment in the Undertaking are considered to be in need of a course of training, grant may also be paid to meet the cost of such 3103W training. At the present time the Ministry of Labour is paying grant to a number of Undertakings of the type referred to.