§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report details of the rates of payment made to disabled persons in sheltered workshops and adult training centres; and if she has made any recommendations to local authorities to improve the levels of payment.
§ Mr. MeacherAdult training centres provide occupation and training for mentally handicapped adults unable to take up open or sheltered employment. The primary purpose of payments to trainees is to provide an incentive for improved effort, both in social development and work skills. But we intend to review how this remuneration can be more widely graded to take account of the great variation of skills and capabilities among adult trainees. At present the amount is at the discretion of local authorities, but any payment of more than £2 a week gross would affect trainees' entitlement to supplementary benefit. No advice has been given to local authorities to improve levels of payment but the increase in the supplementary benefit disregard rate to £4 in November should increase the rate paid to some trainees.
Sheltered employment is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, and he has provided the following information about the rates of payment. The basic weekly rates for severely disabled men and women employed in Remploy factories are £30 (provinces) and £36 (London). Basic rates for those employed in sheltered workshops for blind people are £33.10 per week (provinces) and £39.10 (London). A great variety of basic rates obtain in other sheltered workshops run by local authorities or voluntary bodies for severely disabled sighted workers.
462WMy right hon. Friend has made no recommendations to local authorities for the improvement of the levels of payment since these are primarily matters for negotiation between the workers, or their representatives, and the employers concerned.