HC Deb 02 February 1999 vol 324 cc599-600W
Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 11 January 1999,Official Report, column 97, if he will set out his Department's estimate of the associated costs of the proposals for the Disability Rights Commission to undertake (a) working towards the elimination of discrimination against disabled persons, (b) promoting the equalisation of opportunities for disabled persons in all fields of activity and (c) reviewing the working of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [68532]

Ms Hodge

[holding answer 1 February 1999]: A provisional annual allocation of £ll million has been made for the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) in 2000–01 and 2001–02. It will be for the Commission when it is established to decide how to allocate its resources. Meanwhile interim estimates indicate some 10 per cent. of that annual budget may be devoted to administrative costs; 40 per cent. to advice and information, conciliation, assistance to individuals and formal investigations; 30 per cent. to promotional work, and 20 per cent. to policy work. Estimates are not available in the precise form requested by the hon. Member.

The Government will keep the annual allocations under view in the light of operational experience of the Commission.