§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action he is taking to improve the position of those with more than one impairment or complex disabilities. [135840]
§ Ms Hodge[holding answer 31 October 2000]: We are tackling the social exclusion of disabled people, including those with more than one impairment or who have complex disabilities, in three ways.
43WFirst, we are continuing to implement the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, and we set up the Disability Rights Commission earlier this year. Secondly, we are working to raise awareness and give advice and information to businesses about the requirements of the DDA through disability awareness campaigns. Thirdly, the Employment Service has a range of specialist employment measures which aim at removing the barriers faced by disabled people. These included the Access to Work, Supported Employment, and Work Preparation Programmes, and the services of the Disability Employment Advisers.
The New Deal for Disabled People which has been successfully piloted, will be extended nationally. We are also considering the recommendations of the Disability Rights Task Force, in tandem with the implementation of the recently agreed Employment Directive under Article 13.