§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will make a statement about the levels of disability in Northern Ireland in comparison with other parts of the United Kingdom and account for the differences; [31416]
(2) what research he has conducted or intends to conduct on levels of disability in Northern Ireland. [31417]
§ Sir John WheelerIn order to estimate the prevalence of disability among adults and children, a set of surveys was conducted in Northern Ireland during 1989–90. The surveys were designed to allow comparisons to be made with a similar set of surveys carried out in Great Britain.
From these surveys, it is estimated that there are 201,000 disabled adults and 14,600 disabled children living in Northern Ireland. The prevalence of disability among adults in Northern Ireland is 174 per thousand, which exceeds the rate of 142 per thousand in Great Britain. The rate among children in Northern Ireland is 35 per thousand, which is similar to the rate of 32 per thousand observed in Great Britain.
Information on the levels of disability in Northern Ireland is provided in table 2.8 of "Policy, Planning and Research Unit Surveys of Disability Report 1: the Prevalence of Disability among Adults in Northern Ireland" and in table 2.9 of "Policy, Planning and Research Unit Surveys of Disability Report 2: The Prevalence of Disability among Children in Northern Ireland", copies of which have been placed in the Library.
Comparative information for other parts of the United Kingdom is provided in table 3.9 of "OPCS Surveys of Disability in Great Britain Report 1: the prevalence of disability among adults" and in table 3.8 of "OPTS Surveys of Disability in Great Britain 3: the prevalence of disability among adults" and in Table 3.8 of "OPCS Surveys of Disability in Great Britain Report 3: the prevalence of disability among children", copies of which are also available in the Library.
These surveys were not designed to look at the underlying complaints or causes of disabilities, nor to speculate about the numerous possible reasons for regional differences observed.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding in Northern Ireland from the European Union is spent on meeting the needs of the disabled. [31415]
§ Sir John WheelerThe main source of European Union funding is the Northern Ireland single programming document, which covers the period 1994–99. The needs of the disabled are addressed under the priority investment in communities and people and specifically the training for special target groups and training infrastructure measures.156W Over the programme period, it is estimated that some £18 million—22.73 mecu—will be available from these measures for the provision of vocational training and associated services for the disabled. These measures are complemented by the targeting social needs measure, which may assist disabled groups but is primarily aimed at helping deprived and marginalised people, particularly in areas of social and economic deprivation. In addition to the main NI programme, assistance of some £3 million—3.78 mecu—is also available to the disabled, under the employment community initiative programme 1994–99.
An exchange rate of £1:1.25 mecu has been used.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to require public transport undertakings to take more notice of the needs of the disabled. [31419]
§ Mr. MossThe Government have brought forward amendments to the Disability Discrimination Bill to allow it to set minimum standards of accessibility in new land-based public transport vehicles. These provisions will apply to Northern Ireland public transport operations.