HC Deb 19 March 1996 vol 274 cc118-9W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will take steps to ensure that no disabled persons in Wales are denied benefit from the access to work scheme because of cash limits on the available budget; and if she will make a statement. [20787]

Mr. Paice

While additional funds have been allocated to the 1995–96 budget, it has been necessary to focus support mainly on people with disabilities who have been unemployed for at least four weeks and those to whom the Employment Service has existing commitments. The Government believe that this is the most equitable way of allocating the limited resources available across Great Britain.

Mr. Heppell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many blind and vision-impaired people in the United Kingdom are currently receiving assistance from the access to work scheme; [21371]

(2) how many people in (a) Nottingham and (b) the east midlands are currently receiving assistance from the access to work scheme; and of these how many are blind or visually impaired people. [21370]

Mr. Forth

Responsibility for the subject of the questions 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. John Heppell, dated 19 March 1996:

The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your questions about the number of visually impaired people currently receiving help through the Access to Work programme; the number of people currently being helped in Nottingham, and in the East Midlands; and the number of these who are visually impaired.

We do not keep detailed records centrally about the characteristics of people currently being helped. However, during 1994–95 we helped 10,394 people nationally and we estimate that around 2,200 of these were visually impaired. Similar figures for 1995/96 will be available after the end of the year.

In the East Midlands Region since Access to Work began, we have helped 1,480 people of whom 347 were visually impaired. The Nottingham Placing Assessment and Counselling Team helped 275 people, of whom 61 are visually impaired. These figures are included in the East Midlands Region total.

I hope this is helpful.