§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average cost is of an adjustment made by an employer to support a disabled employee under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and what the average cost is of an employee's adjustment within the Access to Work Scheme. [136300]
§ Ms Hodge[holding answer 6 November 2000]: It is not possible to give an absolute cost of adjustments. We published research in March 1998 called "Integrating Disabled Employees", which reported that, where adjustments are needed, the majority cost less than £50, with only very few estimated to have cost more than £5,000. The findings were based on a small sample and are therefore not necessarily representative of all UK employers. Other research published in May 1999 entitled "Employment of Disabled People: Assessing the Extent of Participation", reported that only 11 per cent. of disabled people who are able to work (including those not currently in work) require some form of special equipment, aids or adaptations in order to work.
Access to Work pay grants towards additional costs for employing disabled people. Employers are expected to make a contribution when the person is already in work. During 1999–2000 Access to Work provided help to 20,729 disabled people in work at a cost of £24.39 million. The average cost of Access to Work help during 1999–2000 was £1,177.