§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disablement resettlement officers and senior disablement resettlement officers were actually in post at any convenient comparable date in 1974, 1975 and 1976; what, if any, were the number of unfilled posts on the same dates; and what, if any, 173W reductions are proposed in the number of such posts.
§ Mr. John GrantI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that information about the number of disablement resettlement officers (DROs) and
Date Disablement Resettlement Officers (DROs) Senior Disablement Resettlement Officers (SDROs) Blind Persons Resettlement Officers (BPROs) Blind Persons Technical Officers (BPTOs) September 1972 … 473 (plus 58 part-time)* 21 31 9 March 1975 … 502 59 31 9 September 1976 … 511 59 31 12 There are also 29 disablement resettlement officers (DROs) employed full-time at employment rehabilitation centres.
* Part-time disablement resettlement officers (DROs) spent between two and 30 hours per week on disablement resettlement officer (DRO) duties.
There are no figures available of the number of unfilled posts, but it is the policy to fill posts as soon as they become vacant.
No reductions in the number of such posts are proposed. Indeed, further increases are under consideration.