§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will monitor the impact of the introduction of employer contributions under the access to work scheme; and when she plans to make a statement on the impact. [37638]
§ Mr. ForthResponsibility 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. Alfred Morris, dated 23 July 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about monitoring the new cost sharing arrangements in the Access to Work programme. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.Access to Work is operated by the Employment Service. The budget is cash limited and the new arrangements introducing cost sharing from 1 June enable us to strike an appropriate balance between helping to meet the needs of people with disabilities and in making best use of available resources. We shall be monitoring the new arrangements and expenditure closely, including numbers separately identified of people unemployed, employed, and self employed on application for Access to Work support.I hope this is helpful.