HC Deb 23 January 1996 vol 270 cc148-9W
Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the principal types of disabilities of people who have received assistance under the access to work scheme in each of the years 1994–95 and 1995–96 to date. [10129]

Mr. Forth

[holding answer 19 January 1996]: Responsibilities for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Mike Fogden to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 23 January 1996: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the types of disability of people who have received support through Access to Work. I attach a table that shows all the help provided through Access to Work from 6 June 1994 (the first day of the programme) to 31 March 1995. The table shows the elements of help and the number of people in disability categories. Some people get more than one element of help and therefore the totals do not show the total number of people supported. In 1994/95, 10,394 people were helped, including a number receiving help under the previous special schemes that replaced Access to Work on 6 June 1994. The principal types of disability of those receiving help were disabilities of the spine (around 21%); organic nervous diseases (10%); hearing difficulties (18%) and visual impairments (26%). I am sorry that we do not have interim figures for 1995/96. Analysis by disability type is done annually and figures will he available after the end of the operating year in March. I hope this is helpful.

Access to Work Beneficiaries by element of support by medical code letter
Period: 6 June 1994–31 March 1995
Medical code Special aids and equipment Adaptions to premises and equipment Personal reader service Assistance with fares to work Communicator Support at interview Support worker Adaptations to vehicles Miscellaneous support Total
F 714 6 — 61 1 12 9 15 818
H 37 — — 3 — 1 — — 41
I 6 — — — — 1 — — 7
J 73 4 — 18 — 3 1 2 101
K1A — — — 1 — — — — 1
K1B — — — 1 — — — — 1
K2 43 — — 9 — — — 2 54
L 13 — — 2 — — — 2 17
V1 51 — — 103 — 11 2 3 170
V2 864 16 1 294 — 23 17 13 1,228
X — — — 1 — — — — 1
U1 12 — — 11 — 6 — — 29
U2 8 — — 12 — 3 — — 23
U3 96 — — 126 1 38 — 8 269
M1 438 5 — 8 187 101 — 53 792
M2 862 10 — 12 79 95 — 49 1,107
N 534 10 — 7 11 25 — 16 603
O 1,696 9 176 174 8 42 2 27 2,134
P 1,141 3 37 149 — 25 — 27 1,382
Z 409 5 — 58 — 14 5 9 500
Total 10,728 111 215 1,423 291 437 94 290 13,589

Medical code letters
  • A, B, C, D, E: Amputations
  • F: Arthritis and rheumatism
  • H: Diseases of the digestive system
  • I: Diseases of the genito-urinary system
  • J: Diseases of the heart and circulatory system
  • K1A, K1B, K2: Diseases of the respiratory system (except TB)
  • L: Diseases of the skin
  • M1, M2, N: Hearing impairments
  • O, P: Visual impairments
  • Q1, Q2: Injuries of head, face, neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, trunk
  • R, S: Disabilities of the limbs
  • T1, T2: Disabilities of the spine
  • U1, U2, U3: Mental disabilities
  • V1, V2: Organic nervous disorders
  • X, Y: TB
  • Z: Other disabilities.