§ Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Employment how much has been spent on the aids to employment scheme for disabled people in each of the last five years.
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§ Mr. Harold WalkerExpenditure on the special aids to employment scheme in each of the last five years ending 31st March was as follows:
£ 1971 9,600 1972 9,300 1973 10,600 1974 25,000 1975 33,000 Estimated expenditure for the current financial year is £40,000.
§ Mr. Hannamasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled persons were assisted by his Department in travelling to and from work in each of the years 1973, 1974 and 1975; what was the nature of that assistance; and what is his estimate of the average cost per head per week for each assistance.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerThe number of people assisted under the scheme, operated by the Employment Service Agency, varies from week to week, as a significant proportion are assisted for a short period of time while their invalid vehicle is off the road for maintenance, repairs etc. The figures below show the estimated average number of people being assisted at any one, time in each of the three years with, in brackets, the number of people received help for the first time.
1973 280 (199) 1974 295 (200) 1975 305 (126 to date) The nature of the assistance is financial in every case, and normally takes the form of a grant towards the cost of a taxi to and from work. The average cost per week for each person helped is at present £7.