§ 41. Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled persons are currently unemployed nationally, and in each region.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe number of unemployed disabled people as at 11 December 1980, the latest date for which national figures are available, nationally and by region is:
323W
Unemployed disabled people South-East England 38,150 East Anglia 4,533
Unemployed disabled people South-West England 12,869 West Midlands 19,619 East Midlands 10,371 Yorkshire and Humberside 18,212 North-West England 22,740 Northern England 13,197 Wales 10,168 Scotland 15,765 Great Britain Total 165,624
§ 54. Mr. Hannamasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give further details of the steps being taken through the Fit for Work campaign to encourage the employment prospects of disabled people.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Manpower Services Commission will be encouraging employment opportunities for disabled people through their "Fit for Work" campaign in a number of ways.
My hon. Friend knows of the MSC' s annual fit for work award scheme. For the past two months individual local presentations of Awards have been made to those employers who won in 1980, and, with their co-operation, the MSC has been using the occasions to obtain maximum publicity at local and regional level for the aims of the campaign. Applications are now coming in for this year's Awards.
The MSC is also taking advantage of the stimulus provided by the International Year of Disabled People (IYDP) to highlight one particular IYDP aim, that of integrating disabled people into employment, and to bring to employers' attention the campaign's message about the abilities and potential of disabled workers. To this end the MSC is using the appropriate media—TV, radio, press, conferences and exhibitions—to reach employers and others with influence in the employment field.
Prosecutions under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 since 1951 Relevant section of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 Year No. of Prosecutions Total value of Fines imposed 9(5) and 9(6)—Discharging without reasonable cause a registered disabled person, contrary to the provisions of the Quota Scheme. 1964 1 £50 9(5) and 9(6)—Discharging without reasonable cause a registered disabled person, contrary to the provisions of the Quota Scheme. 1973 1 £100 9(5) and 9(6)—Discharging without reasonable cause a registered disabled person, contrary to the provisions of the Quota Scheme. 1974 1 Case dismissed 9(2) and 9(6)—Taking or offering to take into employment a person not registered as disabled—contrary to the provisions of the Quota Scheme. 1975 3 (a total of 6charges) £260
§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) when he intends to appoint a chairman to the National Advisory Committee for the Employment of Disabled People;
when he intends to re-appoint the members of the National Advisory Committee for the Employment of Disabled People or appoint new members;
when the National Advisory Committee for the Employment of Disabled People last met; when it will next meet and with what agenda.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonMy right hon. Friend intends to appoint the chairman and members of the National Advisory Council on Employment of Disabled People very shortly.
324WAs part of this promotional campaign the MSC is cooperating with BBC Radio in a joint initiative for the week beginning 23 March, in which several programmes will carry features about the employment of disabled people. Although the programmes will be of interest to disabled people, the main target audience will be employers. If the initiative is successful in stimulating interest in the employment of disabled people it may be repeated later in the year.
As support to the campaign, and in response to requests from employers, the MSC are developing material containing practical guidance on the employment of disabled people, and on the help available from the MSC.
§ Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of firms who are not complying with the 3 per cent. employment of disabled; how many prosecutions for failure to comply with the 3 per cent. quota occurred in each year since 1951; and what was the total value of fines imposed for failure to comply with the 3 per cent. quota in each year since 1951.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonOn 1 June 1980, the latest date for which information is available, the number of employers who had a duty under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 and who were not employing their full quota of registered disabled people was 30,228.
It is not an offence to be below quota. Employers can, however, be prosecuted if they are below quota and engage anyone other than a registered disabled person without a permit to do so. They can also be prosecuted under the quota provisions of the 1944 Act for dismissing a registered disabled person without reasonable cause if they are below quota, or if, by that dismissal, they would be below quota, and for failing to maintain or produce appropriate records.
Information about prosecutions which have been brought since 1951 in connection with the provisions of the quota scheme is given in the table below:
The council last met on 23 October. The date of the next meeting and the agenda are for agreement with the new chairman.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage of British employers who are subject to legislation in respect of the employment of the disabled; what percentage of those as subject are currently not complying with the legislative requirements; what steps he is taking to improve the situation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 18 February 1981, c. 134]: Information in the precise form requested is not available. However, on 1 June 1980, the 325W latest date for which information is available, 46,566 employers (those with 20 or more workers, excluding Crown bodies) were subject to the quota provisions of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944. Of these, 16,340 (35.1 per cent.) satisfied quota and 22,001 (47.2 per cent.) were below quota but had been issued with permits authorising the engagement of people who are not registered as disabled. The remaining 8,225 employers (17.7 per cent.) were below quota and had not been issued with such permits but were not necessarily infringing the 1944 Act unless they had made unauthorised engagements.
The MSC regularly reminds employers of their obligation regarding the employment of disabled people, through contacts by disablement resettlement officers, and an annual programme of inspections of the records which employers are required to keep under the Act. Only registered disabled people count towards quota and registration is voluntary Many disabled people choose not to register and the number of registered disabled people has declined to such an extent that it is no longer mathematically possible for all employers with a duty under the scheme to employ the full quota of registered disabled people. The scheme is being reviewed by the MSC and I shall consider the Commission's recommendations very carefully before reaching a conclusion on its future.
Regulations under the companies Act introduced in 1980, require employers with over 250 employees to make a statement, in their annual director's report, of the company policy towards employment of disabled people.
Irrespective of any legislative provisions, the need to promote the employment abilities of disabled people through education and persuasion will continue. I therefore fully support the MSC's "Fit for Work" campaign which encourages equality of employment opportunities for both registered and unregistered disabled people.