§ Mr. SimsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are taken to ensure that communicators provided under the communication services for the deaf scheme are competent in communication skills with deaf people.
§ Mr. CopeThe Manpower Services Commission requires that all communicators working with trainees
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Table 1 Establishments covered by wages councils on register—December 1987 Wages Councils London South Eastern Eastern South Western Midlands North Western Yorkshire and Humberside Northern Scotland Great Britain Aerated Waters 7 14 57 16 110 25 24 23 66 342 Clothing Manufacture 3,006 160 306 301 1,281 937 452 214 307 6,964 Boot and Shoe Repairing 764 257 258 345 371 406 277 70 130 2,878 Button Manufacturing 18 4 4 4 18 4 3 1 1 57 Coffin Furniture and Cerement Making 1 — — 2 8 2 5 — 2 20 Cotton Waste Reclamation 11 — — 1 1 28 1 — — 42 Flax and Hemp — — — 1 — — — 1 6 8 Fur 147 8 8 7 14 28 11 3 36 262 General Waste Materials Reclamation 124 74 107 151 291 308 240 99 137 1,531 Hairdressing Undertakings 4,482 3,184 3,302 4,104 5,361 5,171 3,029 1,968 2,840 33,441 Hat, Cap and Millinery 25 2 44 5 12 14 8 11 2 123 Lace Finishing — — — 1 73 — — — — 74 Laundry 215 283 79 114 103 68 67 35 122 1,086 Linen and Cotton Handkerchief 2 1 3 3 10 80 9 1 5 114 Made-up Textile 34 13 36 31 51 34 42 18 33 292 Ostrich and Fancy Feather 12 1 6 4 — — — 4 3 30 Perambulator and Invalid Carriage 3 2 5 3 11 4 6 1 1 36 Retail Bespoke Tailoring 180 56 52 38 41 52 39 14 37 509 Rope, Twine and Net — 1 5 12 5 20 18 5 19 85 Sack and Bag 20 — 7 5 14 20 12 2 6 86 meet the appropriate level of competence established by the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People and the Scottish Association of Interpreters for the Deaf.
§ Mr. SimsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average cost per trainee of providing communication support under the communication service for the deaf.
§ Mr. CopeInformation about the average cost of providing communication support is not readily available. However, communication support is provided for a maximum of 500 hours per trainee over a two-year YTS scheme. Managing agents are reimbursed for communicators at rates of £6.50, £8 or £12 per hour, according to their level of skill in communicating. Since the communication service for the deaf was introduced in April 1986, a total of 172 trainees have received communication support, at a total cost of £234,472 to date.
§ Mr. SimsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he is taking to publicise the communication service for the deaf.
§ Mr. CopeThe communication service for the deaf (CSD) is publicised to all YTS managing agents and referral agencies and to other interested parties by means of MSC codes of practice on special training needs and equal opportunities and also by articles in a number of periodicals. MSC and employment service staff also take every opportunity to promote CSD to training providers and deaf people. MSC officials are currently considering the need for any further publicity.