Disabled People (Hansard, 27 July 1999)

§ Ms Hodge

I have been asked to reply.

In Scotland, as elsewhere, most disabled people are helped into work through the mainstream services offered by the Employment Service with additional support for those who require more help. The Disability Service Teams offer specialist employment measures tailored to the needs of individual disabled people. The six Disability Service Teams in Scotland plan to spend around £10 million 1999–2000 on specialist programmes for people with disabilities in Scotland, including Access to Work, the Job Introduction Scheme, Work Preparation and Supported Employment Opportunities.

The Access to Work programme provides both financial and technical support to remove barriers to work created by disability. Support can take many forms, including help with getting to work; the cost of aids and adaptations to equipment, computers or the work place; and of communicators for people with a hearing or visual impairment.

In addition, the New Deal for Disabled People is piloting a range of initiatives, to help disabled people and those with long-term illness on incapacity benefits into work and training at a cost of £195 million over the lifetime of this Parliament. The Personal Adviser service is being piloted in Lanarkshire, and there are three Innovative Schemes operating in Scotland.

215W

The Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations came into force on 1 November 1998 and apply to all new rail vehicles entering service from 1 January 1999. These regulations, which are the first regulations to be made under Part V of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, will considerably improve access for disabled passengers, including wheelchair users, to new rail vehicles. Similar regulations for buses, coaches and taxis are also proposed and consultation on the draft regulations covering these vehicles is expected this year.