§ Brian CotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications have been made to the Access to Work scheme in the last five years; and whether the scheme will be open to those small employers who will be required to make adjustments prior to the extension of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in 2004. [53032]
§ Maria Eagle[holding answer 29 April 2002]: Between April 1996 and March 2001 37,236 disabled people have applied for and received Access to Work help1.
Access to Work is available to disabled people in paid employment, whatever size of employer they work for, where they have additional employment needs resulting from disability. Focusing eligibility on the individual, rather than the employer, allows Access to Work to tailor help to meet the needs of the disabled person and to help an increasing number of disabled people to enter or remain in paid work each year.
1 Source: DWP Access to Work Management Information.