HC Deb 18 February 1983 vol 37 cc286-8W
Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons, and what percentage of the work force, were on the disabled employment register at the latest available date and on dates one and two years previously; and, on those dates, what was the level of the total United Kingdom work force.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1983, c. 109–110]: The information requested is available for Great Britain, and is as follows. Figures for the register of disabled people are at April of each year, and the rate is expressed as a proportion of the estimated mid-year numbers of employees—employed plus the claimant unemployed.

1980 1981 1982
Register of disabled people 470,588 460,178 447,259
Percentage all employees 2.0 2.0 1.9
Total employees 23,801,000 23,538,000 23,278,000

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish for the latest available date and the previous two years the average level of compliance with the quota for the employment of disabled persons by (a) all employers, (b) the public sector and (c) the private sector.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1983, c. 109–110]: On 1 June in each of the last three years, the average percentage of registered disabled people employed by employers in the three requested categories was as follows:

1980 1981 1982
per cent. Per cent. per cent.
a.All employers who were subject to quota (ie all employers with 20 or more workers except Crown Bodies) 1.5 1.4 1.3
b.The public sector (approximate figures) 1.2 1.1 1.1
c. The private sector (approximate figures) 1.7 1.5 1.5

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions have been brought over the period 1980–81 and 1981–82 against employers who failed to fulfil the statutory 3 per cent. quota of disabled people.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1983, c. 109–110]: There have been no prosecutions brought against employers for failure to comply with the provisions of the quota scheme during the period 1980–82.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of people registered under section 2 of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 have been unemployed for (a) up to two weeks, (b) over two and up to four weeks, (c) over four and up to six weeks, (d) over six and up to eight weeks, (e) over eight and up to 13 weeks, (f) over 13 and up to 26 weeks, (g) over 26 and up to 52 weeks and (h) over 52 weeks.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1983, c. 109–110]: The numbers of unemployed disabled people who are likely to be capable only of work in sheltered conditions, together with the percentage of the total each number represents, are as follows. The information relates to 14 October 1982.

Duration of unemployment Registered severely disabled people Unregistered severely disabled people
Per cent. Per cent.
(a) up to two weeks 83 1.1 29 0.7
(b) over two and up to four weeks 77 1.0 45 1.0
(c) over four and up to six weeks 76 1.0 54 1.2
(d) over six and up to eight weeks 71 0.9 52 1.2
(e) over eight and up to 13 weeks 163 2.2 101 2.3
(f) over 13 and up to 26 weeks 414 5.6 248 5.7
(g) over 26 and up to 52 weeks 696 9.3 402 9.2
(h) over 52 weeks 5,910 78.9 3,448 78.7

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what, for each of the last two years to the latest available date, have been the percentage increases in unemployment for (a) the registered disabled, and (b) the unregistered disabled.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1983, c. 109–110]: The percentage changes in unemployment for (a) the registered disabled and (b) the unregistered disabled are as follows for the two years ending October 1982 and October 1981, the latest comparable dates available.

Year ending Registered disabled people Unregistered disabled people
per cent. per cent.
October 1982 -0.4 +9.8
October 1981 +18.6 +24.3

October 1982 is the latest date for which these percentage comparisons can be produced. Registration for employment at jobcentres became voluntary in October 1982 and figures for disabled people so registered in later months are therefore not comparable with earlier periods.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment for the latest available date how many (a) registered disabled people and (b) people from the total United Kingdom work force had been unemployed for (i) up to two weeks, (ii) over two and up to four weeks, (iii) over four and up to six weeks, (iv) over six and up to eight weeks, (v) over eight and up to 13 weeks, (vi) over 13 weeks and up to 26 weeks, (vii) over 26 and up to 52 weeks, (viii) over 52 weeks; and what percentage of the work force in each group each figure represents.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1983, c. 109–110]: The numbers unemployed and those numbers expressed as a percentage of the work force in each group among registered disabled people and the total work force in Great Britain within the periods requested is as follows. The information is not available for the United Kingdom as a whole. The information relates to 14 October 1982.

Duration of unemployment Registered disabled people All workers
Number Per cent. Number Per cent.
(a) up to two weeks 1,686 0.4 152,708 0.7
(b) over two and up to four weeks 1,850 0.4 158,631 0.7
(c) over four and up to six weeks 1,738 0.4 212,592 0.9
(d) over six and up to eight weeks 1,515 0.4 139,412 0.6
(e) over eight and up to 13 weeks 3,399 0.8 262,819 1.1
(f) over 13 and up to 26 weeks 7,609 1.7 516,603 2.2
(g) over 26 and up to 52 weeks 12,096 2.7 610,062 2.6
(h) over 52 weeks 46,372 10.4 1,118,157 4.8

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons in Great Britain were (a) registered unemployed, (b) registered disabled unemployed and (c) unregistered disabled unemployed, at the latest available date and in each of the previous two years; and what percentage of the total work force in each group each figure represents.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1983, c. 109–110]: The following table gives, for Great Britain, the numbers of unemployed claimants and this group as a percentage of all employees, the numbers of registered disabled unemployed and this group as a percentage of all registered disabled, and the number of unregistered disabled unemployed. The total number of unregistered disabled people in the work force is not known.

January January January
1981 1982 1983
All unemployed claimants*
Number 2,177,500 2,790,500 3,109,016
Percentage of all employees† 9.5 12.3 13.7
Registered disabled unemployed
Number 70,343 76,906 73,964
Percentage of registered disable 15.3 17.2 16.5
Unregistered disabled unemployed
Number 100,319 116,758 116,150
* New basis.
† Employed plus the claimant unemployed.

Registration for employment by unemployed claimants to benefit at jobcentres became voluntary in October 1982. As a consequence, the January 1983 figures for unemployed registered disabled and unregistered disabled people include only those who choose to register for employment at jobcentres. They are therefore not comparable with figures for earlier years.