§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled people have been assisted through the Manpower Services Commission professional training scheme for each of the last five years.
§ Mr. AlisonThe information is as follows:
Year Applications accepted 1978 28 1979 21 1980 22 1981 28 1982 39
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled people have applied for 640W assistance under the Manpower Services Commission's professional training scheme for each of the last five years whose applications have been rejected.
§ Mr. AlisonI regret that this information is not available. The Manpower Services Commission does not keep records of rejected applications.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Employment what action the Manpower Services Commission has taken to ensure that disabled people are aware of the provisions of the professional training scheme.
§ Mr. AlisonThe Manpower Services Commission includes details of its professional training scheme in its leaflet "Training Opportunities for Disabled People" which is freely available to the public through jobcentres, employment offices and the MSC's training division area offices.
Disablement resettlement officers, responsible for the resettlement of disabled people into suitable employment, are made aware of the scheme during their training; they are thus in a position to bring the scheme to the attention of any disabled person who may benefit from it.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Employment if the Manpower Services Commission will reconsider its policy that the professional training scheme cannot be used to assist disabled people who may eventually work within a local authority.
§ Mr. AlisonI have asked the Manpower Services Commission to look again at its practice in this area.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to ensure that priority supply schemes as a means of increasing employment opportunities for disabled people in sheltered employment in the United Kingdom are not adversely affected by European Economic Community policy on unfair competition; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonThe existing priority supply scheme, which has operated for a number of years, is not affected by EEC policy on unfair competition. The Manpower Services Commission is currently reviewing the way in which the scheme operates