HC Deb 24 November 1987 vol 123 cc119-20W
Mrs. Fyfe

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available on the number and proportion of disabled workers employed by individual firms.

Mr. Lee

Information supplied by individual firms about the number and proportion of registered disabled

Annual totals, excluding school leavers1
Region 1983 1984 1985 1986
In flows
South East 634,546 635,853 674,570 692,317
East Anglia 125,588 127,015 141,939 145,911
London 550,735 541,299 574,091 609,798
South West 307,308 314,363 338,656 357,829
West Midlands 370,857 363,032 380,565 390,060
East Midlands 268,441 270,971 281,993 289,841
Yorkshire and Humberside 363,805 369,004 398,458 407,823
North West 525,833 512,717 530,897 544,677
Northern 266,560 269,562 277,660 282,390
Wales 212,473 214,059 229,187 234,531
Scotland 443,402 448,560 470,041 490,495
Great Britain 4,069,548 4,066,435 4,298,057 4,445,672

workers they employ has been treated by successive Governments as confidential and is not disclosed without their agreement.

Mr. Bowis

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how the proposed changes to the community programme will allow disabled people to gain maximum benefit from the opportunities which the community programme offers.

Mr. Lee

Project-based provision will be included within the new training programme for unemployed adults announced on 18 November. The Manpower Services Commission has been asked to provide detailed proposals for the programme's operation and this should include proposals for disabled people.

Mr. Bowis

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give details of the average weekly net pay for workers employed in sheltered workshops, and the average weekly net pay for workers employed on the sheltered placement scheme.

Mr. Lee

Comprehensive statistical information is not available. A sample survey of wages paid in April 1986 suggested that the average net weekly pay of people with severe disabilities employed in sheltered workshops was £67, and £62 for those employed under the sheltered placement schemes.

Mr. Win Griffiths

To Employment how many registered as unemployed.

Mr. Lee

There were 21,429 unemployed registered Britain registered for employment at jobcentres on 2 October 1987. The number of registered disabled people who are unemployed claimants at unemployment benefit offices is not available.