§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice and guidelines have been given to the local enterprise companies in respect of their obligations to provide employment training courses to those citizens who suffer from mental and/or physical handicaps; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Allan Stewart[holding answer 15 May 1991]: The Government aim to offer unemployed claimants with disabilities a place on employment training or in a job club, an enterprise allowance or a job interview guarantee. An offer of one of these options is guaranteed to unemployed claimants with disabilities who are aged between 18 and 24 and who have been unemployed for between six and 12 months. These priorities have been communicated to local enterprise companies and the conditions of their operating contracts require them to play their part in fulfilling the Government's aim and guarantee.
Any more general advice and guidelines to local enterprise companies concerning the mentally or physically handicapped would be a matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise; and I have asked the chairmen of both bodies to write to the hon. Member.