§ Mr. Edgeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will increase the 50p a week payment made to handicapped persons who attend adult training centres to a figure which more closely approximates to the average national weekly wage.
§ Dr. OwenAdult training centres cater for those mentally handicapped adults unable to take up open or sheltered employment. The payment they make is not a wage and its primary purpose is to provide an incentive for improved effort both in social development and industrial skills. The amount paid is at the discretion of the local authority, though any payment of more than £2 per week gross216W would affect a trainee's entitlement to supplementary benefit.
Increases have already been announced in the rates of supplementary benefit and earnings disregard which will come into effect next year. This will increase the income of many mentally handicapped adults in training centres. A review of sheltered employment is also being undertaken by the Department of Employment and discussions are currently being held with interested parties including local authorities.