§ Mr. Pendryasked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 29 October, 135W Official Report, column 420, if he will provide a breakdown of the type of accidents to young people while working on the youth opportunities programme, the respective industries involved and their regional locations.
§ Mr. AlisonIn the period July 1980 to June 1981, the major types of accidents were as follows: falls 21 per cent.; entrapment 15 per cent.; impact (excluding falls) 14 per cent.; contact with blade 10 per cent.; abrasion 8 per cent.; falling object 8 per cent. the remaining categories of accidents included injuries from heat, lifting, electricity and fumes. The information requested on the industries involved and their regional locations is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Pendryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people underwent amputations as a result of accidents while working on the youth opportunities programme in the 12 months to June of this year.
§ Mr. AlisonI regret to say that there were 23 accidents involving amputations or part loss of the foot or hand in this period.
§ Mr. Pendryasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether compensation payments will be made to young people who underwent amputations as a result of accidents while working on the youth opportunities programme.
§ Mr. AlisonThe Manpower Services Commission, which operates the programme, makes payments to trainees equivalent to those made under the industrial injuries scheme administered by the Department of Health and Social Security under the Social Security Act 1975.
§ Mr. Pendryasked the Secretary of State for Employment what opportunities exist for retraining for young people who suffer disability as a result of accidents while working on the youth opportunities programme.
§ Mr. AlisonYoung people who become disabled as a result of accidents working on a youth opportunities programme can continue to participate in the programme. They can also be considered for the full range of Manpower Services Commission's rehabilitation and training provisions for disabled people.
Employment rehabilitation centres provide certain courses specifically geared to disabled young people and Manpower Services Commission's training service division can offer vocational training either alongside able-bodied people on standard courses under the training opportunities scheme or training at special establishments and under special schemes exclusively for disabled people to allow for particular circumstances and type of disability.
§ Mr. Pendryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many deaths of young people occurred as a result of accidents while working on the youth opportunities programme in the 12 months to June of this year.
§ Mr. AlisonI regret to say that there were five in this period.
§ Mr. Pendryasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether compensation payments will be made to the families of young people involved in fatal accidents while working on the youth opportunities programme.
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§ Mr. AlisonThe Manpower Services Commission, which operates the programme, pays amounts equivalent to the industrial death benefit, payable to the families of an employed earner by the Department of Health and Sjocial Security under the provisions of the Social Security Act 1975.