§ 131. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered the letter from the chairman of the Trainees' Committee of the Leather-head College, functioning under the Disabled Persons Act; whether he will continue the trainees' rent allowance whilst on authorised leave to married trainees; make more suitable arrangements for trainees on termination of their training for employment; provide travel and other facilities while in search of work; and, pending such employment, grant return warrants until work is assured after interviewing.
§ Mr. Ness Edwards:As regards the first part of the Question, my right hon. Friend has the matter under consideration. With regard to the, latter parts of the Question, my officers assure themselves before a disabled person is accepted for a training course that there are reasonable prospects of placing him in suitable employment when he has completed his training and most of the trainees at Queen Elizabeth's College have a job to go to when they leave the Centre. Those who remain unplaced at the end of the training course return to their home areas where the Disablement Rehabilitation Officer of the local employment exchange makes every effort to find them employment. So far as I am aware these arrangements are working satisfactorily and the great majority of the severely disabled persons who attend this centre are placed in employment in the trade for which they have been trained within a few weeks of completion of their training course. Travelling expenses may be paid in approved cases to disabled persons, in- 190W cluding trainees from this Centre, either to attend an interview with an employer or to take up employment. I am, however, considering whether any extension of these facilities is necessary.
§ Flight-Lieutenant Parkinasked the Minister of Labour how many disabled persons are unemployed at present in the Stroud and Dursley area; how many of these were transferred to the area to take part in war production, which has now ceased; and what steps are being taken to provide them with suitable sheltered employment.
§ Mr. Ness Edwards:The number of persons registered as disabled under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act at present unemployed in the Stroud and Dursley area is 15, of whom two were transferred to the area to take part in war production. The main provision of work for disabled persons is through the application of the quota scheme to ordinary employment. The needs of the minority who may require some form of sheltered employment are being assessed.
§ Mr. Morleyasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the discontent amongst the trainees of Queen Elizabeth's Training College for the Disabled on account of the stoppage of married trainees' rent allowance whilst on authorised leave and the non-placing in employment of trainees on the termination of training direct from college; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy these grievances.
§ Mr. Ness Edwards:I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave today to the hon. Member for Newport (Mr. Peter Freeman).