§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many student places there were in the medical schools of each university in(a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–01; and what the projected numbers are for (i) 2001–02, (ii) 2002–03 and (iii) 2003–04. [157903]
§ Mr. Wicks[holding answer 26 April 2001]: The number of medical places in each university, for each year from 1998 to 2001 and the predicted numbers for 2001 to 2004 are as follows:
(2) how many people with learning disabilities are unemployed. [158091]
§ Ms HodgeThe latest labour force statistics indicate that there are 47,000 people in Great Britain with severe or specific learning difficulties in employment; this accounts for 29 per cent. of the total number of people with severe or specific learning difficulties. The same 555W source indicates that in Great Britain 12,000 people with severe or specific learning difficlties are unemployed; this represents 7 per cent. of the total number. The remaining 64 per cent. of those with severe or specific learning difficulties are classed as economically inactive.
The White Paper "Valuing People—A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century" which was published in March 2001 sets out the Government's commitment to improving the life changes of people with learning difficulties. It states our aim to increase the number of people with learning disabilities in employment and to work towards their achieving parity with other disabled people in the work force.