§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessement his Department intends to make of the impact of special contracts arrangements upon sheltered employment workshops.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe Employment Service will consider the operation of the scheme annually.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what body will he responsbile for the inspection of, and standards set in, workplaces which apply to become extended sheltered employers; and how such a body will he constituted and resourced.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe Employment Service's supported employment programme provides jobs for around 21,000 severely disabled people through contracts held with Remploy, local authorities and voluntary bodies.
The ES's supported employment procurement and consultancy service is responshile for all contracts for supported employment apart from Remploy which is directly answerable to the chief executive of the ES. The contracts specify standards and SEPACS monitors contractors' compliance with these.
The proposal in the Disability Discrimination Bill to extend the Government's powers to allow direct funding of supported employment in dividend distributing bodies will only he used after consultation with relevant organisations.