§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what formal links exist between his Department and the disabled persons unit of the social development division of the United Nations centre for social development and humanitarian affairs; and if he has any plans to develop further links.
§ Mr. RossiThe Government's formal links with the United Nations Organisation and its agencies are maintained through the relevant United Kingdom missions. During the International Year of Disabled People there was some informal contact between the staff of the centre and DHSS officials and this has continued during the follow-up to the year. There are no plans to change these arrangements.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent research his Department has carried out into the delays experienced by disabled people in receiving benefits for which they were eligible; what conclusions were reached; and whether such research is to be a regular part of his Department's work.
§ Mr. RossiThe time taken to deal with attendance allowance and mobility allowance claims is the subject of regular monitoring. I have been concerned about delays in dealing with claims to these benefits and I have asked for the adjudication and procedures which apply to them to be specially reviewed.
No conclusions have yet been reached.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will outline the standard procedure for notifying disabled people of an award of attendance allowance; whether such notification always includes a statement of the length of time over which the allowance will be given; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossiAwards of attendance allowance are notified by letter from the Department's attendance allowance unit at Blackpool. Where the award is of limited duration the termination date is given to the claimant. Where the award is for an adult for life, or for a child up to the 16th birthday when a new claim is required, the commencing date only of the award is given.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what initiatives his Department is undertaking in developing aids for disabled people using computer and information technology; what projects are in the pipeline; whether his Department hopes to develop a centralised, computerised, source of aids information for disabled people; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. RossiThe Department has for some time been studying how computers might be used in environmental controls and is producing performance specifications for them. Although most existing microcomputer systems are not well suited to the task, it is hoped to harness developments in commercial microcomputers for this purpose. Meanwhile, a new microcomputer controlled environmetal control system — the BEC1 — is to be introduced into the NHS this summer.
A number of equipment research and development projects are being funded directly, including two concerned with information technology — IT — and disability. These are the development of a portable synthetic speech aid for people who cannot speak and a speech recognition system to operate environmental control equipment for the severely physically disabled. Both projects are now well advanced. In addition, a project has recently commenced for developing an actuator capable of sensing eye movement, with the object of extending the usage of environmental controls to those patients who are so severely handicapped that they cannot operate more conventional actuators. This type of actuator could be applied also to communication systems.
A "pump priming" project has enabled the Breakthrough Trust to replace its teleprinter telephones for the deaf with the new Vistel deaf telephone terminals. Recent "pump priming" has included the purchase of a quantity of single input scanning Microwriters and a number of Possum 1000 SP synthetic speech communicators. Further pump priming of communication aids is under consideration.
The use of microcomputers in patient therapy is being explored with the assistance of the Department of Industry. Microcomputers have been placed in the occupational therapy departments of a small number of hospitals and day centres, where they can be used under professional supervision for rehabilitation purposes.
The extension of the scheme to other therapy areas is being considered.
The possibility of a centralised computerised source of information on aids for disabled people has been closely examined. It is clear that there is no simple solution that would suit all needs. Localised information services able to offer a personal service, with the support of a central data base, are therefore planned. Discussions are in progress with the aim of transferring the existing database at the Disabled Living Foundation to computer filing and retrieval so that, with central Government support, it can expand its activities and develop the role of the central database within the United Kingdom. Localised services might then use an appropriate IT medium to interrogate the database as required.
The interrelationship of the various European Community and United Kingdom database initiatives is being explored: we aim to ensure that the United Kingdom will be able to contribute practically to and benefit positively from EC and other international schemes wherever it is appropriate and cost effective for us to do so.