HC Deb 17 May 1988 vol 133 c440W
Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he is making to ensure disabled people will get full benefit from the new training for employment scheme.

Mr. Nicholls

Features of employment training designed particularly to help people with disabilities include exemption from the normal eligibility condition of six months duration of unemployment; access to specialised assessment, where appropriate, through the employment rehabilitation service; extended introduction for those who need a gradual introduction to full-time training; additional payments to meet the costs of special training needs when the provision is necessarily more expensive; access to special aids, and communication services for the sensorily handicapped; and residential training where needs can best be met in this way.

Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what provisions he has made for the part-time employment of disabled persons in the new training for employment scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

Participants on employment training will be trainees, not employees. A period of extended introduction will be available for people, including some people with disabilities, who need a period of preparation before they are able to take advantage of full-time training. Extended introduction will be for up to 10 weeks and individuals will be able to attend part-time initially.

Further consideration is being given to the issue of part-time participation in the mainstream of employment training.

Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he will take to ensure that voluntary organisations that provide services to disabled people under the community programme will be able to maintain those programmes following the introduction of the training for employment scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

At least 170,000 of the 300,000 places on employment training will offer practical training on projects. Employment training will build on the strengths of the existing programmes, including projects providing services for disabled people. Local staff of the Manpower Services Commission will be doing all they can in coming months to help community programme providers and others to develop their activities so that they can meet the training requirements of the new programme.