asked the Minister of Labour how many registered disabled workers are unemployed in Thorne and Goole; and what special action is being taken to find suitable employment for them.

On 9th November, there were 80 registered disabled persons registered as unemployed at Thorne Employment Exchange and 36 at Goole. Our local officers are doing all they can to find them suitable openings.

Is my hon. Friend aware that some of these unemployed men and women are people of high intelligence, and that some of them, having been sent away for special courses of training for re-employment, had the grievous disappointment, on their return, of finding that there was no work for them in the industry for which they had been trained? Will he take special steps to see that local employment officers set about finding work for them in a much more vigorous way than in the past and, perhaps, consult Remploy about the establishment of a local factory?

I agree that the level of unemployment among the disabled in Thorne is considerably higher than the national average. The main difficulty is lack of light industry and efforts are being made to encourage firms which could provide suitable work to move to the district. I am sure that my hon. Friend will agree that the local employment exchanges are doing all they possibly can in this matter. Remploy factories are intended for the severely disabled, and there are insufficient of these unemployed in the area to justify one being set up.