Answers issued to Members on 13 March 2008
[R] signifies that the Member has declared an interest.
[W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
Contents
Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills
Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): What assessment has the Welsh Assembly Government made of the decision by Remploy to close three of its factories in Wales, and its impact on the economy? (WAQ51493)
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): What assessment has the Minister made of the consequences for employees with disabilities of the decision by Remploy to close three of its factories in Wales? (WAQ51495)
The Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (Jane Hutt): The plan to close the Remploy factories in Brynamman, Treforest and Ystradgynlais was approved by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, despite strong representations from the Welsh Assembly Government against these proposals.
Over the last few months, we have been working closely with Remploy to examine alternative plans to secure some form of production or training at the sites, and several options are still being explored. We are also co-operating in the development of a local employment strategy for the upper Valleys area.
Remploy is offering employees a range of options including transfer to different sites, and we are working with other Remploy factories to maximise the opportunities for workers who would like to re-locate. A package of employment support is also being provided, and this assistance can be supplemented through our ReAct programme.
While the planned closure of the three factories is regrettable, the wider economic impact should not be too detrimental. Firstly, disabled employees at Brynamman and Ystradgynlais are being offered employment at the factory in Neath. Secondly, the total of around 80 jobs at the Treforest factory represents a very small proportion (0.1 per cent) of the 77,600 jobs in the local authority area of Rhondda Cynon Taf. Thirdly, with regard to the impact on earnings, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has confirmed that there will be no compulsory redundancies for disabled employees and that they will be able to retain Remploy terms and conditions, even if they move into alternative employment. Finally, Remploy’s modernisation plan aims to quadruple the number of disabled people helped into work, by 2012, so that they are eventually supporting around 20,000 people across GB into mainstream employment every year, which will have a positive effect on the employment rate for disabled people.
Data from the Local Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey shows that the unemployment rate for disabled people in Wales was 8.0 per cent in 2006. While the gap between the unemployment rates for disabled and non-disabled people in Wales has increased slightly since 2004, the difference is less than that recorded in 2001.
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the provision of careers advice in Brecon and Radnorshire? (WAQ51497)
Jane Hutt: All young people between the ages of 11 and 18 are entitled, as part of the curriculum, to programmes of careers education and guidance (CEG) and work-related education (WRE) to help develop learning and career management and planning skills.
The curriculum frameworks for CEG and WRE have, after extensive consultation, been amalgamated into a single framework operative from September 2008—Careers and the World of Work. This will bring greater focus for learning providers and learners and reinforces messages about issues such as the need to experience learning outside the classroom, to adopt entrepreneurship skills and attitudes and to acquire learning and careers self-management skills.
In addition to schools’ and colleges’ curriculum delivery, Careers Wales Mid Glamorgan and Powys provides an all-age independent and impartial careers information, advice and guidance service in Brecon and Radnorshire.