§ Dr. Vaughanasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department is authorised to provide up to £25 per week to enable a disabled person to use a taxi to get to work; if this payment applies to emergency situations only; how many people claimed in this way in the last period conveniently recorded; and what was the total sum paid out in this period.
§ Mr. GoldingI am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the732W Employment Service Agency is authorised to help certain disabled people with their travelling expenses—mainly taxi tares—to enable them to get to work. Payments are based on a formula which takes account of a number of factors, including take-home pay, but there is no fixed upper limit. The fares to work scheme is not limited to emergency situations.
During the year ended 31st October 1976, 220 new applications for assistance under the scheme were received. Of these, 153 were accepted and 67 rejected. It is estimated that between 250 and 300 people were receiving assistance at any one time during the year. The total amount paid under the scheme in the year ended 31st October 1976 was £69,703.