§ Mr. BerryTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amounts in his Department's budget for 1998–99 can be attributed to spending on disabled people; and what proportion this represents of total departmental spending. [71283]
§ Mr. FatchettSo far in 1998–99, £37,523.58 of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office budget can be attributed to spending on people with disabilities. This represents 0.0036 per cent. of the total FCO departmental spending.
However, this does not represent a complete picture since spending on people with disabilities has, to date, been subsumed into a number of the FCO's general budgets. In addition, there is the general spend on items such as building repairs/improvements which benefits all staff, but which takes particular account of the needs of people with disabilities.
193WDuring the new financial year 1999–2000, budgets will have a sum allocated specifically for people with disabilities. This will enable us to form a more accurate picture of spending on people with disabilities.