§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Employment what follow-up action is taken by the Manpower Services Commission to make sure that disabled people who are given assistance to work are given continual support, aid and advice ; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Jim LesterI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that disablement resettlement officers (DROs) are instructed to follow-up the first placing into work after disablement and those cases which involve special difficulty or where there is some doubt over the suitability of the employment, or where special arrangements have to be made with the employer, for example over hours of work, or where the disabled person has been assisted under one of the MSC's special schemes. In addition, all disabled people are encouraged at the time of placing to consult the DRO whenever they have an employment problem and need further advice or assistance.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many severely disabled persons are supplied with equipment to enable them to work ; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that precise information on the number of severely disabled people supplied with equipment is not available, but in the year ended 31 March 1980 830 items of equipment were loaned, free of charge, under the special aids to employment scheme, to disabled people to assist them in their employment, 787 aids were issued in 1979 and 669 in 1978.
During the last few years the special aids to employment scheme has been steadily developed. The advances in technology have made available a greater variety of sophisticated electronic aids, which can be issued when needed to certain disabled people.