§ Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of registered blind people, at present registered as unemployed, at employment exchanges in the Greater London area.
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§ Mr. Dudley SmithThere are 158 (133 men, 25 women) registered blind people, registered as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in the Greater London area.
§ Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for Employment what training programmes for blind people are followed by Remploy.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithThe blind people who enter Remploy factories follow the normal training programme adapted as necessary by a Blind Persons Training Officer of my Department. The needs of most blind people requiring sheltered employment are met by workshops for the blind.
§ Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for Employment what research has been undertaken as to employment opportunities for blind people.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithContinuous research into employment opportunities for blind people is undertaken by the Blind Persons Training Officers of my Department, the Royal National Institute for the Blind and St. Dunstan's. In addition to this, specific research projects have included computer programming, commercial work, speech therapy and osteopathy.
Recently my Department, in collaboration with the Royal National Institute for the Blind and St. Dunstan's, commissioned the Production Engineering Research Association to carry out research designed to widen work opportunities for the Blind.