HC Deb 09 June 1981 vol 6 cc96-7W
Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give assurances that if voluntary registration is implemented, adequate measures will continue to be taken to assess the number of disabled unemployed persons by a)age, (b) duration of unemployment and (c) medical category.

Mr. Peter Morrison

[pursuant to his reply, 4 June 1981, c. 355]: I recognise the importance of maintaining adequate statistical information about unemployment amongst disabled people. If voluntary registration is introduced, it is planned that statistics on the numbers and characteristics of the unemployed disabled people who choose to register will continue to be collected at jobcentres. This information will be supplemented by sample surveys of unemployed people as a whole. But we will not take final decisions until we have considered reactions to the Rayner review and discussed the implications of voluntary registration with the Manpower Services Commission.