§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 10 November 1998,Official Report, column 137, concerning access to work, what assessment he has made of the potential entitlement of disabled members of the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and London Assembly to support under the Access to Work scheme. [60299]
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§ Ms Hodge[holding answer 17 November 1998]: Access to Work provides help for disabled people in or about to start paid employment. It is designed to encourage employers to take on or retain disabled people by meeting some or all of the extra costs resulting from disability. The aim is to help disabled people in activities from which they earn their living. Disabled members of the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and London Assembly may be eligible for Access to Work support if their activities constitute paid employment.
I recently announced a new £30 million fund to help, over 3 years, disabled people who want to work. £12 million of this will boost the Action to Work programme, providing help with work costs for an extra 4,000 disabled people.