HC Deb 30 June 1977 vol 934 cc339-40W
Mr. Carmichael

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the figures for each of the last three years of the number of employers who have applied for exemption from employing disabled persons; and how many in each year were granted exemption certificates.

Mr. John Grant

There is no exemption from the requirement under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 to employ a quota of registered disabled people. The Act places an obligation on employers, when below quota, not to engage people who are not registered as disabled unless a permit to do so is first obtained from the disablement resettlement officer. The numbers and percentages of employers subject to quota issued with such permits during the 12 months preceding 1st June in each of 1974, 1975 and 1976 were 23,030— 41.7 per cent.—21,611— 41 per cent.— and 21,358— 42.1 per cent.—respectively. 1st June 1976 is the latest date on which the information is available.

No information is available about the number of employers who have applied for permits.