asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many courses are run annually covering what number of students for those who are (a) registered blind and (b) registered disabled other than blind; and in what crafts and skills these courses are run, by region of college or skillcentre providing them.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission—MSC—that the information is not available in the form requested. An analysis of the kind requested could only be obtained

The following table gives estimates of the numbers of employees in employment in each of the employment office areas in Cheshire.by special and costly computer runs. Even then the precise information would not be available. For example, the records do not differentiate between registered and non-registered blind trainees.During 1977–78, 5,395 registered and non-registered disabled people were trained under the MSC's arrangements. Disabled people under the training able-bodied people under the training opportunities scheme—TOPS—which embraces over 500 courses run in skillcentres, colleges of further education, private colleges and employers' premises. Disabled people are also trained at residential training colleges at Durham, Exeter, Leatherhead and Mansfield in commercial, construction, engineering and other skills; they are trained on an individual basis with an employer prepared to employ them afterwards; and they are trained for professional qualifications.Table A gives the number trained in 1977 by occupational groups in the various regions of the MSC's training services division and Table B the numbers trained in various institutions for the year to December 1976 and for the financial year 1976–77. These are the latest available figures.