Specialist Disability Employment

Jim McGovern Excerpts

Tuesday 10th July 2012 Commons Chamber

[Maria Miller]

My hon. Friend obviously speaks up strongly for the Penzance factory, which employs 32 disabled people, but the problem is that in employing them the factory runs an operating loss of more than £700,000 a year. It is unfortunately difficult to resolve that situation and achieve financial stability, however, and, although I am always available to meet him, I am not sure how satisfactory the outcome of such a meeting would be for him.

[Jim McGovern (Dundee West) (Lab)]

I have visited the Remploy factory in my constituency so often that I am almost on first-name terms with most of the work force, and I can assure the Minister that they do not regard themselves as a segregated work force. There seem to be two lists—one of factories with no agreed business plan and one of those inviting bids—but Dundee’s factory does not appear on either. What does the future hold for the Remploy factory in Dundee?

[Maria Miller]

The Remploy factory in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency will be taken forward; I am not sure why that is not on his list.