§ 2.52 p.m.
§ The Earl of KinnoullMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to help the position of the disabled.
392§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, despite the restraints on public expenditure, the Government have been able to introduce a range of significant improvements in benefits and services for disabled people. As the economy improves, we shall be able to do more.
§ The Earl of KinnoullMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that encouraging reply, may I ask him whether he could identify the areas of major contributions that the Government have made over the past 18 months?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneWell, my Lords, out of a long list of examples of help that we have given to disabled people f would suggest a few: VAT was removed from the purchase price of "motability" cars; important concessions were made in the 1980 Budget in favour of donations to charity which will undoubtedly help disabled people; substantial help with fuel costs has been provided; three new series of high-powered hearing aids are now available; and recipients of supplementary benefit can, from the 24th of last month, qualify for the long-term rate after one year instead of two years, provided that they are not required to register for work. There are many others.
§ Lord Wells-PestellMy Lords, is the noble Lord the Minister aware that I am sure that the Government will be very grateful to the noble Earl, Lord Kinnoull, for asking this Question and giving the Government an opportunity of saying something that is reasonably helpful in our society at the present moment? Are the noble Lord and the Government aware that the disabled are among the weakest and most needy groups in the community? It is not so much the financial benefits which they are receiving—which is of great importance—but the fact that so many of them need aids to get from one part of the house to another. It is now taking a long time to get these. Would it not be in the interests of the disabled if the Government attached a little more importance to seeing that the physical aids which the disabled need are provided instead of having to wait, as many of them do, an interminable time?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, the noble Lord will be aware that, although there has been a restriction on building, adaptations for disabled people are given high priority, and the Government have made this very clear to local authorities.
§ Lord RentonMy Lords, as we are approaching 1981, which is the International Year for the Disabled, will my noble friend confirm that Her Majesty's Government will be making a significant contribution of which the nation can be proud towards helping the disabled in that year? Will he also confirm that his original Answer includes help given to the mentally handicapped, and to what extent?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, I am not sure that I can answer the last part of the noble Lord's question. So far as the International Year for the Disabled is concerned, the Government are subsidising 393 and helping the groups in each of the four countries in the United Kingdom. They expect most of the action on this International Year for the Disabled to be taken by voluntary organisations, and they are supporting those voluntary organisations.
§ Lord AveburyMy Lords, is the Minister aware that when spot checks have been made in the past on the employment of disabled persons by local authorities and public bodies—including some of the largest local authorities—they have been found to employ fewer than the statutory quota of disabled persons? One of the major contributions that the Government could make is in monitoring the performance of all public bodies and urging them to fulfil their duties in this respect.
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, there is a certain complication about this matter of the quota, which is supposed to be 3 per cent. for employees of all organisations employing more than 20 people. Unfortunately, over the years recently many disabled people have not registered and many disabled people do not like the stigma of being known as disabled people and also do not see any particular advantage in registering. So the figures are better than they look. In fact there is monitoring of this quota scheme being carried out by the Manpower Services Commission at the moment.
§ Lord Wells-PestellMy Lords, is the Minister in a position to say how much money the Government are proposing to make available to help the various organisations to which he made reference a moment or two ago to plan the International Year for the Disabled, and to help them to undertake some of the essential things which require to be done during that year?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, I begin to feel that this really should have been an Unstarred Question rather than a Starred Question. We were really talking about what the Government have done and not what they will be doing in the future.
§ Lord RhodesMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware of the growing disparity between awards given in civil courts for disablement and the awards given by the Government for disablement which occurs as a result of service in Her Majesty's forces?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, I am very sorry, but I did not get the drift of the noble Lord's question.
§ Lord RhodesMy Lords, may I draw the noble Lord's attention to the fact that there is a growing disparity between awards given in civil courts as distinct from awards given by Government for disablement in Her Majesty's Government's forces? Is that plain, my Lords?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, I fully understand the noble Lord's question, but I am afraid I cannot answer it.
§ Lord UnderhillMy Lords, will the noble Lord say whether or not it is correct that consideration is being given to closing the 27 rehabilitation centres which are at present training some 7,500 disabled persons? If it is correct, will the noble Lord appreciate that this is a move that will be deplored?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, I know that that matter is being looked into. I understand that it is possible that in the North-East the number of centres will be reduced from three to two, but it is under consideration at the moment.
§ Lord Wells-PestellMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord the Minister whether he is saying that the Government have not yet made up their minds as to how much money they are going to give in order to make our contribution, as a United Kingdom, to the International Year for the Disabled? The previous Government made a substantial contribution financially when we had the International Year of the Child. The noble Lord, Lord Soames, indicates that it was a very small amount; as I understand it, this Government are not going to do anything.
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneMy Lords, I am very sorry, but I am afraid that I cannot answer that question. I am not prepared for it and I do not know the answer.
§ Baroness DavidMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether the Government have taken any steps to make further education more accessible for the disabled, where they are at a great disadvantage? Also, have the Government considered making some of the grants for courses that disabled people take mandatory rather than discretionary?
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneNo, my Lords. I do not think I can answer that question.