§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what initiatives are in place within the Scottish Office to encourage the employment of people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LangThe Scottish Office takes a wide range of initiatives to encourage the employment of people with disabilities, which include the following. Disablement resettlement officers receive prior notification of recruitment campaigns to help them encourage disabled people to apply. All advertisements and application forms indicate clearly that the Scottish Office is an equal opportunities employer, and also carry the Employment Department's disability symbol. Educational qualification requirements for entry to certain grades are relaxed for disabled people. On appointment staff with disabilities are assessed to establish what special assistance may be required.
The Scottish Office is fully committed to encouraging and supporting the employment of people with disabilities.
§ Sir Nicholas FairbairnTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funds have been spent on buildings in Scotland by Scottish Office Departments and the Scottish Courts Administration; and if he will give details of the expenditure on each building or work in each of the past five years.
§ Mr. LangInformation in the form requested is not readily available.
Buildings-related expenditure borne on the Scottish Office Administration vote (class XV, vote 20) in each of the last five years is:
£ million 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 Plans Capital 0.591 1.703 1.870 2.062 1.812 1.714 Running costs1 12.315 12.245 13.806 14.904 17.064 22.330 Total 12.906 13.948 15.676 16.966 18.876 24.044 Buildings-related expenditure incurred by the Scottish Courts Administration in each of the last five years is as follows:
£ million 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 Plans Capital 4.774 4.825 9.489 15.390 18.645 22.035 Running costs1 6.293 7.141 8.803 10.133 14.220 14.527 Total 11.067 11.966 18.292 25.523 32.865 36.562 1 Buildings-related running costs' includes, for example, rent and rates, minor repairs and maintenance and fuel and utilities.
§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the work force of the Scottish health service were disabled in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe percentage of registered disabled people employed by the NHS in Scotland in each year since 1979 is set out below. Health boards and the Common Services Agency are expected, like other employers, to comply with the provisions of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Acts.
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Percentage of Disabled Employees in the National Health Service in Scotland Year Percentage 1979 0.6 1980 0.5 1981 0.5 1982 0.5 1983 0.4 1984 0.4 1985 0.5 1986 0.4 1987 0.3 1988 0.3 1989 0.2 1990 0.2