§ Mr. Gowerasked the Minister of Labour how many persons in Wales were registered as disabled under the Disabled 95W Persons (Employment) Act, 1944, at the latest convenient date; how many of these were unemployed; and if he will give similar figures for 1952, 1953 and 1954, respectively.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe following is the information required:
WALES Date No. of persons registered as disabled Number unemployed 21st April,1952 58,367 7,749(including 1,149 unlikely to obtain employment except under sheltered conditions). 20th April,1953 55,704 7,210(including 950 unlikely to obtain employment except under sheltered conditions). 20th April, 1954 53,329 5,677(including 661 unlikely to obtain employment except under sheltered conditions).
§ Mr. Gowerasked the Minister of Labour how far employers in Wales are showing willingness to employ registered disabled persons; whether a reasonable proportion of persons suffering from pneumoconiosis are finding employment; and to make a statement.
§ Mr. WatkinsonMost employers in Wales, as elsewhere in Great Britain, are showing willingness to employ registered disabled persons, including pneumoconiosis cases. I am glad to say that in South Wales the number of unemployed suffering from pneumoconiosis is now 864 compared with 4,775 in February, 1948. The greatest contribution to this result has been made by the National Coal Board, whose South Western Division employed in December, 1953, 5,424 registered disabled persons suffering from pneumoconiosis.