HC Deb 27 July 1993 vol 229 cc786-7W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what arrangements his Department makes to ensure that blind and partially sighted people have access to information produced by his Department where it has not been published in alternative media such as Braille, large print or tape;

(2) what is his Department's policy on which information produced by his Department is published in alternative media to standard print such as Braille, tape or large print.

Miss Widdecombe

The Department aims to provide the general public with a wide range of information relating to employment and training. We ensure that important information is available in formats other than hard text to make it accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. The decision about what is translated depends on the content and intended audience for the document. Some information is provided in direct translation, for example, the job seekers charter and leaflets on the Department's services, such as "Make It Work". The Department is most likely to produce translations of material that covers a summary of services or programmes rather than producing several versions of small leaflets. We can arrange for correspondence to be sent in Braille where it is requested.