New Deal for Disabled People (Hansard, 19 April 1999)

§ 19. Mr. Brian White (Milton Keynes, North-East)
What assessment he has made of the performance of the new deal for disabled people's innovative schemes. [79747]

§ The Parliamentary Under"Secretary of State for Social Security (Mr. Hugh Bayley)
We are funding a number of innovative schemes under the new deal for disabled people to test new ways of helping people with disabilities who want to work. Ten schemes are currently in operation, and we announced funding for a further 14 last month. It is too early to assess the effect of the schemes. An independent research organisation has been appointed to evaluate them formally, and preliminary findings will be available towards the end of this year.

§ Mr. White
The Minister will be aware that, although the schemes will be welcomed by many people, many disabled people will be cynical because the benefits system operated by the previous Government led to many of them being put on the scrap heap. Many disabled groups are finding that their members' top level disability living allowance is being removed. Will he outline how he intends to deal with the cynicism among disabled people and target people who need those welcome schemes but who, at the moment, may feel that they will not help?

§ Mr. Bayley
The purpose of the personal adviser pilots in the new deal for disabled people is to provide advice to disabled people who want to work on the benefit entitlement of seeking a job, which in-work benefits they would receive if they took a job and on their long-term entitlement to out-of-work disability benefits if the post did not work out. Help is also provided with the job search and any training that those people might need to get the job that they seek.
There are 1 million people out of work and on disability benefits who say that they wish that they had the opportunity to work. Under the system that operated before the election, they were simply consigned to a life on benefits. Our new deal for disabled people will give them the opportunity to fulfil their aspirations and to get the jobs that they want.