§ Mr. LeightonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the use of the disablement advisory service; and if he has any plans to encourage an expansion in its use.
§ Mr. LeeThe disablement advisory service was introduced in 1983. Up to October 1987, well over 37,000 employers had been visited by staff of the service to promote and advise on the implementation of good policies and practices in the employment of people with disabilities and advice had been given in over 24,000 cases involving retention, career development and promotion of individual disabled employees, provision of aids to employment, and so on. The service has an important role in marketing the code of good practice on the employment of disabled people. The service has recently been supplemented by a major organisations' development unit to liaise at senior levels with very large employing organisations. Marketing of these services to employers will continue as in the past. There are no further plans for expansion.