HC Deb 02 February 1976 vol 904 cc493-4W
Mr. Reid

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disablement resettlement officers are currently employed in Scotland.

Mr. Harold Walker

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that there are 69 disablement resettlement officers, including three blind persons resettlement officers and seven senior disablement resettlement officers covering the whole of Scotland.

Mr. Reid

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what specialised training in interview and employment skills is available for DROs in Scotland comparable to that offered by the Employment Service Agency at Oaktree House, Leeds.

Numbers unemployed Percentage rates of unemployment
Macclesfield Employment Office area Congleton Employment Office area Macclesfield Employment Office area Congleton Employment Office area
January 1974 … … … 492 183 1.9 2.1
February 1975* … … … 836 222 3.2 2.5
January 1976 … … … 1,369 435 5.2 4.9
* Because of industrial action at local offices of the Employment Service Agency information for January 1975 is not available.

Rates of unemployment are calculated by expressing the numbers unemployed as a percentage of the estimated total number of employees including the unemployed.

Mr. Harold Walker

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the training facilities at the National DRO Training Centre at Leeds are provided for DROs throughout Great Britain, including those in Scotland.

Mr. Reid

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled persons in Scotland were placed in employment by DROs over the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Harold Walker

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that for the last 10 months of 1975 the number of disabled people placed by DROs in Scotland was 4,183, including 217 people placed in sheltered employment. Statistics on the number of people placed by DROs in January and February 1975 were not compiled due to industrial action.