HC Deb 29 October 1979 vol 972 cc398-9W
Mr. John Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will give an assurance that there will be no reduction in allocated spending on the fares-to-work, job introduction, capital grant and special aids schemes for the employment of disabled people;

(2) if he will give an assurance that employment rehabilitation centres will not be closed;

(3) if he will give an assurance that job training for the disabled at specialist residential colleges will not be reduced;

(4) if he will give an assurance that the number of employment advisers will be maintained;

(5) if he will give an assurance that the disablement resettlement service will not be reduced;

(6) if he will give an assurance that plans to increase sheltered employment places will not be abandoned or revised to reduce the number of extra places proposed;

(7) if he will give an assurance that disablement advisory committees will not be abolished;

(8) if he will give an assurance that the national advisory council for the employment of disabled people will not be abolished;

(9) if he will exempt services designed to aid the employment of disabled people from planned public spending cuts in the budgets of his Department and the Manpower Services Commission;

(10) if he will maintain the timetable for consultation on review of the quota scheme for the employment of disabled people regardless of public expenditure considerations;

(11) if he will withdraw the document sent to members of the national advisory council for the employment of disabled people asking for the council's advice on ways to cut public spending on the employment of disabled people.

Mr. Jim Lester

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. Leadbitter

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of public expenditure on the employment of disabled people for the years 1974 to 1979; and what proposals he has for 1980–81.

Mr. Jim Lester

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission, which is responsible for employment services for disabled people, that information on the level of public expenditure is not available in the form or for the period requested. Estimated Commission expenditure on these services since the financial year 1977–78 is:

1977–78 £53,200,000
1978–79 £52,600,000
1979–80 £54,600,000

The proposals for 1980–81 are currently under review as part of the Government's general reappraisal of actual public expenditure.