§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received the report of the Silver Jubilee Committee on improving access for disabled people; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisI have received the report today and have arranged for it to be printed. In the meantime, I have placed photo-copies of the report in the library.
The report makes a number of important and far-reaching recommendations which I and my colleagues will be considering both urgently and sympathetically. It is clear from the report that there is still much more to do to improve access for disabled people, while at the same time ensuring that the "access" message is kept before the public. For in a civilised society, as the report says, disability should not just be a problem for disabled people. I am, therefore, taking immediate action to establish a successor body as recommended in the report. The new Committee on Restrictions Against Disabled People will be chaired by Mr. Peter Large, MBE—chairman of the 247W Silver Jubilee Committee—and will have the following terms of reference:
To consider the architectural and social barriers which may result in discrimination against disabled people and prevent them from making full use of facilities available to the general public; and to make recommendations".In carrying out its work, the committee will, of course, recognise and take careful account of the interests of other Government advisory bodies, such as the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Disabled People.
I take this opportunity of thanking the Silver Jubilee Committee most warmly for its vigorous efforts on behalf of disabled people. Over the past few years, there has been a heartening improvement in public attitudes towards disabled people and the Silver Jubilee Committee has made an extremely valuable contribution
(a) value of child tax allowances and child benefits as percentage of gross income for: (b) value of child tax allowances and child benefits as percentage of income after tax for: Year one-child family Per cent. two-child family Per cent. four-child family Per cent. one-child family Per cent. two-child family Per cent. four-child family Per cent. 1977–78 … … 2.7 5.7 11.3 3.4 7.0 13.5 1978–79 … … 3.3 6.4 12.2 4.1 7.9 14.7 The figures of gross income and income after tax include child benefits. Those for 1977–78 have been revised now that figures for average earnings in 1977–78 are available. The assumed level of average earnings for 1978–79 has been obtained by up-dating to October 1978 the new earnings survey estimate of average earnings of full-time men in April, taking account of movements in a centred three-month moving average of the whole-economy index of average earnings of all employees. Figures for 1979–80 will depend on earnings, tax rates and allowances in tax year.