Disability (Hansard, 19 January 1996)

§ Mr. McMaster
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what guidance he intends to issue to(a) Departments, (b) executive agencies, (c) non-departmental public bodies and (d) outside bodies and arm's-length organisations which he has responsibility for, or an interest in, regarding the implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and if he will make a statement; [9229]
(2) what guidance he intends to issue to local authorities about the implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and if he will make a statement; [9247]
(3) what guidance he intends to issue to health authorities and trusts about the implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and if he will make a statement. [9243]

§ Mr. Moss
In Northern Ireland, the Training and Employment Agency is currently consulting on a draft code of practice relating to the employment provisions in the Act and statutory guidance related to the definition of disability. Consultation on proposals for regulations under the employment and definition provisions of the Act is also currently underway. The Department of Health and Social Services will be asking the Northern Ireland Disability Council, when it first meets, to produce and consult a code of practice relating to the rights of access to goods and services. The Department of Health and Social 797W Services will also be consulting on associated regulations. All these items will be published in plenty of time to allow employers and service providers in Northern Ireland to prepare themselves for the introduction of the new rights and duties. I will ensure that Northern Ireland Departments and any bodies for which they are responsible will be made aware of their responsibilities under the Act.

§ Mr. McMaster
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are in place to ensure that the inaccessibility of school transport is not a restricting factor in integrating disabled children into mainstream schools; and if he will make a statement. [9249]

§ Mr. Ancram
Where an education and library board maintains a statement of special educational needs in respect of a pupil, the board has the statutory duty under article 31 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 to arrange for the special educational provision specified in the statement to be made. Where a board considered that it was necessary to make arrangements for home-to-school transport to enable a pupil to benefit from special educational provision, it would specify these in the statement also. If ordinary bus services were not accessible to the child concerned, alternative suitable arrangements would be made, for example by using taxi services or by securing a place on a specially adapted bus. These arrangements would apply whether the special educational provision were being provided at a special school or a mainstream school.

§ Mr. McMaster
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his Department's policy in relation to the development of sports for disabled people. [9290]

Estimated population of 12 year olds Number of schoolchildren¹ tested Number of schooldchildren testing negative² Number of schoolchildren³ vaccinated Percentage of schoolchildren³ vaccinated

1980 87,067 83,165 74,147 72,422 97.7

1985 71,924 79,001 71,377 69,562 97.5

1994 65,054 57,725 53,754 51,785 96.3

¹Figures may include children other than aged 12 where, for instance, testing focuses on school classes rather than age specifically.

²i.e. without natural immunity.

³Only children testing negative are vaccinated. Figure therefore excludes those who tested positive and who for any other reason, such as parental request, were not vaccinated.

	Estimated population of 12 year olds	Number of schoolchildren¹ tested	Number of schooldchildren testing negative²	Number of schoolchildren³ vaccinated	Percentage of schoolchildren³ vaccinated
1980	87,067	83,165	74,147	72,422	97.7
1985	71,924	79,001	71,377	69,562	97.5
1994	65,054	57,725	53,754	51,785	96.3
¹Figures may include children other than aged 12 where, for instance, testing focuses on school classes rather than age specifically.
²i.e. without natural immunity.
³Only children testing negative are vaccinated. Figure therefore excludes those who tested positive and who for any other reason, such as parental request, were not vaccinated.