HC Deb 14 December 1971 vol 828 cc57-60W
Mr. Carmichael

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans there are for increasing the number of jobs available for blind people in sheltered workshops in Scotland.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Grants are being paid by my Department towards the cost of two new factories being built by the Edinburgh Corporation (work almost completed) and the Aberdeen Royal Workshops for the Blind (work just commenced) to replace existing workshops housed in old buildings. The Edinburgh factory will provide 100 extra jobs for blind and other severely disabled people and the Aberdeen factory will provide an extra 20 places.

The managements of the five Scottish factories for blind people have jointly set up the Scottish Executive Development Council, the aim of which is to co-ordinate marketing arrangements and rationalise production. The council is working closely with the Industrial Advisers to the Blind Limited to expand markets and provide satisfying job opportunities for those blind people in Scotland who require employment under sheltered conditions.

Mr. Carmichael

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what new items for manufacture have been introduced into production in sheltered workshops for the blind in Scotland in the last five years.

Mr. Dudley Smith

New items for manufacture introduced into production in sheltered workshops for the blind in Scotland in the last five years have included a wide range of tubular, wooden and upholstered furniture; interior springs for mattresses; wooden pallets and animal pouffes. The range of wirework goods has been extended, and the plastic dipping of wire introduced; an example of a new product in this trade is the "Sackmaster" refuse bin. In addition, the manufacture of bedding has been modernised and new lines in beds and mattresses introduced.

Mr. Carmichael

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs for men and women are provided in sheltered workshops for the blind in Scotland; and how these figures compare with those for 1930, 1940, 1950 and 1960.

Mr. Dudley Smith

At 31st December, 1971, the number of jobs provided in the workshops for the blind in Scotland were 521 for men and 86 for women. These compare with 602 and 119 in 1960, 579 and 139 in 1950, and 609 and 164 in 1941. Figures for 1930 are not readily available. These figures have been extracted from the annual returns of the Register of the Blind compiled by the Scottish Home and Health Department.

Mr. Carmichael

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many registered blind men and women of working age and available for work there are in Scotland; how many are in work in sheltered workshops, and how many in open industry.

Mr. Dudley Smith

At the latest date for which figures are available there were in Scotland, 1.006 blind men and 259 blind women who were in the working age range and available for work. The numbers in work, in training and avail-

Under 16 16–17 18–29 30–29
M W M W M W M W
31st March, 1946 77 72 33 24 209 157 356 263
31st March, 1950 92 78 21 18 206 152 340 225
31st March, 1960 136 119 23 11 176 133 244 180
31st December, 1970 123 84 42 24 215 151 199 142
40–49 50–69 70* Totals
M W M W M W M W
31st March, 1946 536 419 1,749 1,481 1,347 1,859 4,308 4,311
31st March, 1946 535 401 1,704 1,516 1,577 1,989 4,475 4,379
31st March, 1960 455 314 1,556 1,767 1,766 3,029 4,336 5,553
31st December, 1970 324 240 1,522 1,596 1,693 3,730 4,118 5,967
1946 is the earliest year for which figures are readily available.

Mr. Carmichael

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the number of registered blind people in Scotland in full-time employment, available for but unable to find work, and unfit for work either in sheltered workshops or in open industry, broken down by sex and convenient age bands.

Mr. Dudley Smith

The number of registered blind people, men and women, in Scotland in full-time employment, available but unable to find work and unfit for work either in sheltered or open employment, is set out in the following table. Separate figures relating to age bands are not available.

able for work but not in employment, were:

Men Women
Employed
Workshops 521 86
Open industry 300 127
Homeworkers 16 6
In training
Under sheltered conditions 6 1
For open industry 11 6
Unemployed and available for work
Under sheltered conditions 66 11
For open industry 86 22
These figures have been extracted from the annual returns of the Register of the Blind compiled by the Scottish Home and Health Department.

Mr. Carmichael

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present registered blind population in Scotland, broken down in terms of age and sex; and how many there were in 1930, 1940, 1950 and 1960, or any convenient comparable dates.

Mr. Dudley Smith

At 31st December, 1970, and comparable dates the registered blind population in Scotland, broken down in terms of age and sex:

Men Women
In full time employment 837 219
Unemployed and available for work 152 33
Not capable of work 694 720
These figures have been extracted from statistical returns of the Register of the Blind compiled by the Scottish Home and Health Department.