HC Deb 28 July 2000 vol 354 cc1053-4W
Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what funding for training is available for blind and disabled persons in the North West Region. [132090]

Ms Hodge

I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many disabled persons are employed through Government supported employment schemes in the North-west region. [132089]

Ms Hodge

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Richard Foster to Mr. Ronnie Fearn, dated 28 July 2000As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked Leigh Lewis to reply to your question concerning the number of disabled people employed through government supported employment schemes in the North West Region. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mr. Lewis as Chief Executive of the Agency. I am replying in his absence. In answer to your specific question, I am sorry that we cannot provide the information you request as we are unable to isolate the programme figures by regions. Contracts for the Supported Employment Programme are managed nationally and include some contractors whose provision is spread across the country. Although we do collect a national figure annually for the number of individuals employed in the programme on a set date, we cannot identify people working in a specific geographical area. I can let you know that the average number of disabled people working in the programme for the period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 was 22,908. If you would like to discuss whether we can help further in any way please contact Jocelyn Dann, Supported Employment Programme Manager, on telephone number 0114 259 6310.