§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment 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 Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 24 March 1981, Vol. 1, c. 224.]: It is not possible to estimate the unemployment rate of totally or severely deaf people as the total number of people with this disability in the working population is unknown. The unemployment rate for registered disabled people who were totally or severely deaf, defined as (a) those who are deaf with speech (b) those who are deaf without speech and (c) those who are hard of hearing, was 9.4 per cent. at 10 April 1980, the latest date available. The unemployment rate amongst all registered disabled people at the time was 13.0 per cent., and the total unemployment rate was 6.2 per cent.