§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what discussions he proposes to have with the officers of the Royal National Institute of the Deaf about the employment of people who are totally or severely deaf; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what is his estimate of the unemployment rate of totally or severely deaf people; and how this compares with the national average rate of unemployment.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI shall reply to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what proposals he has for improved training of totally or severely deaf people to enable them to find employment in a wide range of industries, trades and professions;
(2) what new steps he proposes to take to improve the training and job opportunities of people who are totally or severely deaf;
(3) what special provision he is making to improve the training and job opportunities of young school leavers who are totally or severely deaf.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Manpower Services Commission provides and sponsors a wide range of vocational training open to deaf people, including school-leavers, which includes specialist provision for those who are totally or severely deaf. The MSC will continue to keep this provision under review. The MSC is currently running a major campaign, entitled "Fit for Work", which has as an aim the improvement of job opportunities open to disabled people generally.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment if, for the last three years, he will tabulate in the Official Report the number of totally or severely deaf school leavers who failed to find employment within 12 months of leaving school.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonInformation is not kept in this form and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
From an analysis made each April since 1979 it is known that unemployed deaf young people registered with careers officers numbered 194 on 5 April 1979 and 242 on 10 April 1980. The 1979 analysis was made before the Easter school-leaving date. The handicap of these young people ranged from hard-of-hearing to total deafness.