§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Employment when the Form DPL 13 describing the fares-to-work scheme for disabled people was last revised.
§ Mr. John GrantI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that Form DPL. 13 was first printed in May 1977 and has been revised once, in September 1977.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Employment what publicity has been given to the latest edition of the form describing the fares-to-work scheme for disabled people; and how many copies of the form have been circulated outside his Department and the Employment Services Agency and Training Services Agency.
§ Mr. John GrantI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that no special publicity has been given to the latest edition of the form. Copies of the initial May print of the form were distributed on behalf of the Employment Services Agency by the Disabled Living642W Foundation to local authority social service departments and to area health authorities who subscribe to the Foundation's information service.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he has taken to advise voluntary organisations and disabled people of the publication of the revised form describing the fares-to-work scheme; and what action he has taken to draw to their attention the change in criteria.
§ Mr. John GrantI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that no specific action has been taken to advise voluntary organisations and disabled people of the publication of the revised leaflet. There have been no changes in the basic conditions for entitlement to assistance; the only change has been the method of calculating the amount of assistance payable in some cases where the spouse is working.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Employment why he has made the criteria for assistance under the Employment Services Agency fares-to-work scheme more stringent.
§ Mr. John GrantI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that changes have had to be made in the method of calculating the amount of assistance payable under the fares-to-work scheme in order to bring it into compliance with the requirements of the Sex Discrimination Act. This has resulted in some working wives being treated less favourably than previously. However, it should be noted that no current applicant has suffered as a result in that applicants have retained their grants on a personal mark-time basis if this has been more favourable to them.