§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will make a statement on(a) the level of the ceiling for employer contributions and (b) the level 100W of ceiling on allocations for individual employees within the new access to work scheme; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what assessment he has made of the impact of the introduction of employer contributions towards the purchase of specialist equipment and services for disabled employees upon (a) self-employed disabled people, (b) part-time disabled employees, (c) disabled employees working at home, (d) disabled employees on temporary contracts of one year or less and (e) disabled people contracted to work concurrently for two or more separate employers; and if he will make a statement;
(3) who will own equipment jointly purchased by employers and the Government for disabled employees under the access to work proposals; what advice will be issued to companies by his Department on (a) the declaration of equipment purchasing within the audited accounts of companies and (b) arrangements for insuring equipment; and if he will make a statement;
(4) if he will make it his policy to establish a mechanism enabling disabled employees to lodge appeals against capping limits set under the new access to work scheme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 20 January 1994]: In reaching final decisions about the details of the access to work scheme, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and my noble Friend Lord Henley are considering carefully all the representations made by the disability and employer groups that we have met. My right hon. Friend hopes to announce decisions soon.