§ Mr. Litterickasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many registered blind persons there are in employment in each area of the United Kingdom at the latest date for which this information is available;
(2) if he will publish in the Official Report an anlysis of the occupations of registered blind persons at the latest date for which this information is available.
§ Mr. John GrantI am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that it does not maintain records about the number of blind people, or other disabled 373W people, employed in particular occupations. However, the Department of Health and Social Security, the Scottish Home and Health Department, the Welsh Office and Northern Ireland Office have in the past maintained such records, compiled from information provided by local authorities. This was never precisely accurate, as it is impossible to find out how many blind people are actually employed and what jobs they are doing at any given date. For this reason, and
Occupational groups of employed blind people England (March 1977) Scotland (December 1974) Wales (March 1977) Northern Ireland (July 1978) Professional, technical, administrative, managerial … … … … … … 939 114 39 8 Clerical, typists, telephone operators … … 1.333 166 57 24 Sales representatives, shop assistants, collectors 274 46 19 2 Agricultural and horticulture … … … 212 15 17 — Engineering: fitters, assemblers, operators … 1,030 46 54 26 Machine operators, minders (other than engineering) … … … … … … 219 — 16 — Store and warehouse workers, packers … … 489 — 16 — Carpenters and joiners … … … … 67 36 1 — Knitters (hand and machine), weavers and net makers … … … … … … 165 — 10 — Upholsterers, machinists (bedding), mattress makers … … … … … … 127 131 4 18 Basket, mat and brush makers … … … 640 111 74 34 Chair seat makers … … … … … 67 — 4 — Wireworkers … … … … … 46 64 2 19 Boot and shoe repairers … … … … 24 — 4 — Piano tuners … … … … … 216 — 6 — Other craftsmen and process workers … … 262 101 27 — Labourers (not included elsewhere) … … 342 59 21 — Domestic and canteen workers … … … 353 — 12 — Launderers and dry cleaners … … … 46 — — — Other workers (not classified elsewhere) … 547 — 33 — TOTALS … … … … … 7,398 889 416 131