§ 92. Mr. Mikardoasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what percentage of the employees of the following companies at the most recent convenient date were registered disabled persons: J. and J. Dean Limited, Gilbert-Ash Limited, Walter Lawrence and Son Limited, Thos. McInerney and Sons Limited, F. G. Minter Limited, C. P. Roberts and Company Limited, T. R. Roberts (Builders) Limited, Roffe Limited, Bernard Sunley and Sons Limited, A. E. Symes Limited, Taylor Woodrow Anglian Limited, Turriff Construction Corporated Limited, Whyatt (Builders) Limited, and Yeomans and Partners Limited.
§ Mr. FernyhoughIt has always been the practice to regard as confidential information supplied by particular undertakings about the number of registered disabled persons they employ.
I am sure my hon. Friend can appreciate that opportunities for employing disabled people vary greatly from industry to industry and from firm to firm according to the nature of the work and the working conditions. Moreover it frequently happens that there are no registered disabled persons available locally who are suitable for the jobs on offer. This means that even firms with an excellent record of co-operation may from time to time find themselves below quota through circumstances outside their control.
Therefore, it would be misleading and unfair to make public these confidential employment figures, and, because the success of the scheme depends largely on the good will of employers, against the interests of the disabled.
I can assure the hon. Member that the position at the firms he mentions has been and will be kept under review.
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§ 93. Mr. Mikardoasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many registered disabled persons in the area covered by the Stratford Disablement Advisory Committee were unemployed at the most recent convenient date; how many of these had been unemployed for more than 13, 26 and 52 weeks, respectively; and how these figures compare with those for approximately the same date in 1967.
§ Mr. FernyhoughOn 11th November, 1968, 335 registered disabled persons were registered as unemployed at Employment Exchanges within the area covered by the Stratford Disablement Advisory Committee. The comparable figure for November 1967 was 289.
On 8th July, 1968, when the number of registered disabled persons was last analysed by duration of unemployment, 213 registered disabled persons had been unemployed for more than 13 weeks, 162 for more than 26 weeks, and 86 for more than 52 weeks. On 10th July, 1967, 117 registered disabled persons had been unemployed for more than 13 weeks, 81 for more than 26 weeks, and 45 for more than 52 weeks.