§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many courses are available at industrial rehabilitation units for the training of those afflicted with epilepsy; how many persons are at present undergoing training in such centres; how many persons have undergone such training in each of the past 10 years; and what are the ages of such persons.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithIndustrial rehabilitation units do not provide training. Their aim is to assess and restore working capacity and to provide skilled advice on the type of employment or training most likely to lead to satisfactory resettlement.
My Department now has 24 industrial rehabilitation units with 2,317 places, all of which are available to epileptics. On 10th May, 1971, 1,880 persons were attending courses at these units. Information about how many of these were suffering from epilepsy is not readily available, but the normal proportion of epileptics is about 4½ per cent.
The following table shows the total numbers of persons and the number of epileptics who completed rehabilitation course in each of the past 10 years. An analysis of these numbers by age is not available.
Year Number who completed IRU Courses Number of who Epileptics completed IRU Courses 1960 8,505 353 1961 8,857 373 1962 9,995 435 1963 9,899 472 1964 10,097 438 1965 9,336 406 1966 9,710 464 1967 10,608 548 1968 11,784 513 1969 11,605 547 1970 (first 6 months only) 6,219 270
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many vocational training courses are sponsored by the Department of Employment other than at industrial rehabilitation units for persons afflicted by epilepsy; how many 65W persons are at present undergoing training in such units; how many persons have undergone such training in each of the past 10 years; and what are the ages of such persons.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithIn common with other disabled persons, epileptics may receive vocational training suited to their needs in a wide range of courses at Government training centres, residential training colleges for the disabled, and colleges of further education, or by individual arrangement with employers. At 12th April, 1971, 1,640 disabled persons were attending such courses; the number of epileptics is not readily available but the proportion is estimated to have been about 3½ per cent. I regret that details of the numbers of epileptics who have taken such courses in each of the past 10 years are not available.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what inquiries have been undertaken to ascertain the subsequent employment of epileptics trained at industrial rehabilitation units or special Government-sponsored vocational training courses; what is the result of such inquiries; and how many of such persons are now unemployed.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithThe employment position of all who complete industrial rehabilitation courses is checked by individual inquiry about six months later, and if necessary further help is then offered to sufferers from epilepsy. Out of 184 epileptics who completed rehabilitation courses in the second half of 1969, 96 were in employment or vocational training six months later and 35 others had had employment since the end of their courses. Similar records are not kept for epileptics who have attended vocational training courses; but the last count showed that 73 per cent. of all disabled trainees were placed in employment within three months of completing training. I regret that information is not available about how many epileptics who have taken rehabilitation or training courses are now unemployed.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what instructions have been given to disablement resettlement officers in 1971 to try to overcome the reluctance of some employers 66W to consider candidates suffering from epilepsy.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithExisting instructions already include advice on the special problems confronting people suffering from epilepsy, and these are supplemented by circulating the latest information. Disablement resettlement officers have always been made aware of the necessity for obtaining adequate medical guidance about individuals, so that the degree of disability is properly understood and, with the individual's consent, may be disclosed to prospective employers. Our leaflet entitled "Employing Someone with Epilepsy", which is revised in the light of expert advice, is designed to give guidance to employers.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what training courses have been provided for disablement resettlement officers so as to inform them as to the real nature of epilepsy and how it may be dealt with in the working situation.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithThe training programme for disablement resettlement officers includes lectures and discussions about the nature of epilepsy, and its effects upon a person's capacity for work. Disablement resettlement officers throughout the country have also attended one-day courses organised by the British Epilepsy Association to study the special problems associated with epilepsy.