HC Deb 30 November 1989 vol 162 cc378-80W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his response to the interim results of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys report entitled "Disabled Adults: Service, Transport and Employment 1989"; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

The results set out in the report published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in June 1989 have been taken into account in the review of services for people with disabilities which my Department has been undertaking. However, the report does not provide, with sufficient precision, the information about the nature and consequences of employment difficulties arising from disability which my Department needs to plan its services. My Department has commissioned a further survey to provide such information, and the results of that survey will be available soon.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to strengthen programmes aimed at a change in employers' attitudes towards the employment of disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

Employees in employment1 in the Textile industry2 by region
Thousand
Region September September September Net change3
1981 1984 1987 1981 to 1984 1984 to 1987
South East 13.1 10.2 10.6 -2.9 + 0.4
East Anglia 1.4 1.9 1.6 + 0.5 -0.3
South West 5.7 5.2 5.2 -0.6 0.0
West Midlands 13.0 12.2 12.6 -0.8 + 0.4
East Midlands 80.5 72.4 71.3 -8.1 -1.1
Yorkshire and Humberside 57.4 47.6 45.9 -9.8 -1.7
North West 52.7 40.7 41.7 -12.0 + 1.0
North 8.6 8.3 7.1 -0.2 -1.3
Wales 4.0 3.6 3.6 -0.4 -0.0
Scotland 38.6 32.9 31.1 -5.8 -1.7
Great Britain 275.0 234.9 230.7 -40.1 -4.2
1 The figures exclude the self-employed.
2 Class 43 of the Standard Industrial Classification 1980 (Textiles including hosiery)
3 Changes calculated on unrounded employee estimates.

Between census of employment dates, information about employees in employment subdivided by region is available only for those industry headings listed in Table 1.5 of Employment Gazette, a copy of which is in the Library.

Employees in employment1 in the Footwear industry2 by region
Region September September September Net change3
1981 1984 1987 1981–84 1984–87
South East 4.8 4.4 3.6 -0.5 -0.7
EastAnglia 3.2 3.3 2.7 0.0 -0.6
South West 8.1 7.5 7.3 -0.6 -0.2
West Midlands 1.8 3.0 2.2 +1.1 -o.7
East Midlands 1.8 3.0 2.2 -3.3 -0.1:
Yorkshire and Humberside 2.3 2.0 2.1 -0.3 + 0.1
North West 8.2 8.3 8.0 + 0.2 -0.4
North 3.8 3.6 3.5 -0.2 -0.1
Wales 0.8 0.8 1.0 +0.1 +0.2
Scotland 0.9 0.7 0.7 -0.2 0.0
Great Britain 56.6 53.0 50.4 -3.7 -2.5

Mr. Nicholls

The adequacy of current programmes aimed at encouraging employers to adopt and implement good policies and practices on the employment of people with disabilities is being considered in the review of services for people with disabilities which my Department has been undertaking. A consultative document covering the conclusions reached in the review will be published as soon as possible.