§ Mrs. René e Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many sheltered workshops there are in the West Midland region; where they are located; and how many places they provide for (a) mentally handicapped and (b) physically handicapped.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply. 25 July 1980, c. 409]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that there are 12 sheltered workshops in the West Midland region. The following 677W table gives their location, their capacity, and the latest available information on the numbers of severely disabled people they employ. Workshop places are not generally provided for specific disabilities, other than for the blind, and
Number of employees Workshop Mentally sub-normal Mentally ill Other disabilities Total Capacity (a) Remploy Factories Birmingham 22 21 140 183 200 Coventry 32 13 44 89 90 Newcastle (Staffs) 4 34 75 93 100 Stoke 2 4 76 82 95 Trentham 6 7 82 95 90† Sub-Totals 66 59 417 542 575 (b) Workshops for Blind People* Birmingham… N.A. N.A. N.A. 91 94 Stoke N.A. N.A. N.A. 99 109 Walsall N.A. N.A. N.A. 21 30 Wolverhampton N.A. N.A. N.A. 70 67 Sub-Totals — — — 281 300 (c) Workshops for Sighted People Worcester N.A. N.A. N.A. 35 42 Birmingham N.A. N.A. N.A. 98 108 Newcastle (Staffs) N.A. N.A. N.A. 42 48 Sub-Totals — — — 175 198 GRAND TOTALS — — — 998 1,073 Notes: N.A. = Figures not available. * May also employ sighted people. † This workshop employs more people than its intended capacity. It will be extended in 1982–83.