§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Employment which member States of the European Economic Community operate a quota scheme for the employment of disabled people; and if he will provide similar information in respect of the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 20 February 1981, c. 245]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that at the time of its last inquiry in 1978 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Eire and the Netherlands had quota schemes in some form. Denmark and the United States of America had no quota schemes. Brief details of all these countries" measures were set out in the MSC's discussion document on the quota scheme, a copy of which is in the Library. The MSC
284Wknows of no quota schemes in operation in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. No information is currently available in respect of Greece, and I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as it is obtained.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the new measures announced by the Manpower Services Commission to help the long-term unemployed will include specific provision to help chronically sick and disabled people who are disproportionately represented among the long-term unemployed.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 20 February 1981, c. 245]: The community enterprise programme, which will replace the special temporary employment programme on 1 April, will create temporary job opportunities for adults who have been without a job for a long time. No separate provision is being made for specific groups, but for disabled people the eligibility conditions for recruitment have been relaxed to allow them to enter the programme earlier than would otherwise have been the case.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take account of public opinion, as reflected in the recent Gallup survey for New Society and the BBC, when considering the MSC's proposals on the future of the disablement quota scheme.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 20 February 1981, c. 245]: My right hon. Friend has received details of the response to the question on employment of disabled people which was included in the Gallup survey commissioned by New Society and the BBC. We have also drawn this to the attention of the Manpower Services Commission.