§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate which departmental publications are currently available(a) in Braille, (b) in large print and (c) on tape; and if he will indicate what efforts have been made by his Department to inform visually impaired people about the availability of publications in alternative formats to normal print.
§ Mr. GummerPublications currently available from my Department in large format print, audio tape and Braille are:
Council Tax
- A guide to the new tax for local government
- Valuation and banding
- Liability, discounts and exemptions
184 - How to appeal
- The transitional reduction scheme
Where publications are made available in these formats, every effort is made by my Department to ensure that the relevant agencies and voluntary bodies are involved.
§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent by his Department in each of the last three years to(a) produce public information in alternative formats for visually impaired people and (b) publicise the availability of accessible information amongst visually impaired people.
§ Mr. GummerFor the period referred to the Department spent a total of £68,224 including VAT and all levies, on the production and distribution of public information in formats suitable for use by the visually impaired. A breakdown for each financial year is not available. This figure includes any costs associated with publicising the availability of this information through the appropriate agencies and voluntary bodies.