§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report those area health authorities in the United Kingdom which are employing either their 3 per cent. quota or more of registered disabled employees; and if he will state for the Merseyside and Manchester Regions the actual percentage of registered disabled employed in each area health authority.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe figures relating to health authorities, published in the November 1977 issue of theDepartment of Employment Gazette, showed that no area health authority had reached the 3 per cent. quota in the employment of registered disabled people.
723WThe following table shows the percentage of registered disabled people employed by each area health authority in the North Western and Mersey Regions at 1st June 1977.
per cent. North Western Area Health Authority Bolton 1.0 Bury 1.7 Lancashire 0.9 Manchester 1.2 Oldham 0.7 Rochdale 1.6 Salford 0.8 Stockport 0.9 Tameside 0.9 Trafford 1.6 Wigan 0.4 Mersey Area Health Authority Cheshire 0.9 Liverpool 0.6 St. Helens and Knowsley 0.8 Sefton 1.0 Wirral 0.7 My hon. Friend may be aware that I have expressed my concern at the average rate of employment of disabled people in the National Health Service. I have written to the chairmen of all area health authorities asking for their help in increasing the rate and are currently considering further steps to improve the position.