§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of the money spent during the past five years for financial assistance to purchase wheelchairs through Access to Work has been spent on(a) indoor/outdoor powered wheelchairs and (b) manual wheelchairs. [44679]
§ Mr. Alan HowarthResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Peter Collis to Mrs. Theresa May, dated 15 June 1998:
The Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked Leigh Lewis to reply to your question about the financial assistance given towards the purchase of wheelchairs through the Access to Work programme during the past five years. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mr. Lewis as the Chief Executive of the Employment Service. I am replying in his absence.I am afraid that we do not hold information centrally on the number of grants made under Access to Work for wheelchairs or their cost. I attach a table detailing expenditure under Access to Work over the last five years broken down by the main categories of expenditure. Expenditure on wheelchairs falls within the Special Aids and Equipment category.I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.